One Plus One Equals One
by nova-carta
Summary: Daniel descended as a 11 years old Harry Potter…well, sort of. Inspirited by Corwalch’s “Two Shall Be As One”, diverged as Daniel went back a bit further.
1. Chapter 1

1) This story is inspirited by Corwalch's HPSG story: Two Shall Be As One.

2) Disclaimer: Honestly, I own nothing. Don't sue.

3) Please forgive my grammar. English is not my first language, and I'm without a beta.

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Chapter 01

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

The sensation of being spirited away was too unpleasant for his liking that Daniel felt a moment of nausea before regaining his balance.

He was no longer on Abydos, instead he was standing in front of a small crowd. Daniel did not recognize these people because except Oma he had never met other ascended beings before. Though he could make a guess of their identity. Oma did tell him to watch out for the rule enforcement entity in this higher plane of existence called 'the Council". If he was deemed an offender by it, this very first meeting could be his very last one.

The Councilors all looked stern and disapproving, and Daniel must say he felt the same way. He would like to curse them in 23 different languages, but first thing first, right now Oma Desala was the one who pissed him off.

"Why did you stop me!" Daniel ignored the glares given by the Councilors. "Thanks to you Abydos is now annihilated!"

"Calm down please, Daniel. I helped its entire population to ascend."

"You preserved their existence but you ruined their lives!" Daniel retorted bitterly. "You stopped me because I am ascended. Then why don"t you stop Anubis from interfering the Milky Way galaxy?"

"Anubis is not one of us." Oma shook her head.

"It was not what he said, and it definitely was not what I see."

Daniel pointed out coldly.

"Anubis had ascended once by mistake. When we found out his true nature, we descended him back into his corporal form. Thus we do not recognize him as our equal." Oma told him, a flash of regret and shame shown on her face.

"Since there is a half ascended goa'uld running around, apparently it was a job badly done." Daniel breathed in deeply then puffed out. Even though he was a bodiless mass of light, the breathing exercises still had a calming effect on him.

Once he toned down his anger, he stepped forward to face the Others.

"How many more death will there be before you step in to clean up your own mess? You are doing a great evil by just watching with your folded arms!" He urged them to answer. However, his criticism was ignored completely.

The eldest one, supposingly the chairman, eyed him up and down before turned to Oma Desala.

"This boy must be taught our way and learn obedience. Send him to the Arcade."

His tone implied it was a strict order. The others also nodded their agreement.

Daniel refused to let them avoid his question. But before he could voice his indignation again, he was swept away by his ascension mentor. Oma bowed her head to the Council, immediately left to catch up with her youngling.

"Let's hope he is not another Moros." Someone grumbled.

Outside the door Oma found a sulking Daniel. His Pouting lips and tangling eyebows were so adorable that she wanted to pet his head. A glare from the blond warned her from doing that.

She led him away to a faraway place.

"That was a close call." She told Daniel. "You are lucky that the Council didn't really sentence you. It seems that they are somehow soften after the Moros case.'

"What happened to Moros?" Daniel tried to remember this name but recalled nothing.

"He went against the non-interference rule and he paid with his life." She said with a hint of sorrow. "You two are so similar that it is scary."

Daniel walked alongside of her, did not inquire further.

# # # # # # # #

Harry looked at the passing scenery distractedly.

"The train was going too fast." he told Hedwig. "It must be magic." Hagrid did wish him come home safe and sound before he took his leave. Might be Hagrid had done something to speed up the train as a parting gift.

His excitement from the Diagon Alley trip died down as soon as the train pulled out. Leaving meant going back to Dursleys. He remembered the purple face Uncle Vernon made last night. He remembered Uncle Vernon shouting insults about the "freaks". He also remembered THAT curly pigtail on Dudley's big fat butt.

He didn't find it funny anymore, and he knew Dursleys didn't find it funny either.

His _stomach_ lurched dreadfully as he realized there is no Hagrid in No.4 Privet Drive to shelter him. He had to face their ire by himself after all.

Harry signed unhappily. He had just broken his confinement record after the zoo incident. He hoped he wouldn't break it anytime soon. For God's sake 'the longest confinement time' wasn't even included in the Guinness Book of Records!

It was after sunset by the time Little Whinging station came into his sight. Street Lights lit up on each side of the pavement. Harry dragged the trunk behind him with one arm, hugging Hedwig's cage to his chest with another arm. In an awkward posture, he headed back to Privet Drive slowly.

There was quite a distance from the train station. He walked for half an hour before he could see the overly neat and identical housing of Privet Drive. Some neighbors were walking their dogs and ignored Harry as usual. Not than Harry wanted to talk with them, mind you, but it would be great to have someone or something distract him from his nerves.

"Better now than later, though I hope for never than late."

Harry murmured to himself. Took in a deep breath, he gathered all courage he possessed and rang the doorbell.

Door opened.

_"You_'ve g_ot some nerve _showing _up_ at our door!"

A fuming Vernon Dursley roared.

In the end, today was not his best birthday either.

# # # # # # # #


	2. Chapter 2

1) This story is inspirited by Corwalch's HPSG story: Two Shall Be As One.

2) Disclaimer: Honestly, I own nothing. Don't sue.

3) Please forgive my grammar. English is not my first language, and I'm without a beta.

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Chapter 02

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Warning: child abuse scene

"For crying out loud!" Daniel muttered Jack's favorite phrase as he kicked a nearby mirror hard. It didn't budge a bit, which frustrated him more.

The Council named this place as 'the Arcade'. He was under the impression that it would be some kind of passageways with arches supported by columns. Instead it was merely an enclosed room, with mirrors covering from ceiling to flooring. Daniel decided he like the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles Palace better.

The mirrors showed him images and visions, voices and sounds. Without an inch of spare space his eyes could rest on, Daniel was forced to watch TV nonstop like a coach potato since his incarceration. Though, instead of soap opera, this TV channel only broadcasted scenes after scenes of world destruction. Its visual and sound effect was more realistic than IMAX, and all the deaths and bloodsheds were starting to get on his nerve.

'Is it some kind of irritation therapy?' Daniel thought as another planet blew up in his face. 'Surely they don't really believe they could sway me by a Film Festival?'

The thought was so laughable.

While he understood everything corporeal would come to its end eventually, it didn't mean that the ascended shouldn't help fight injustice. The more sufferings he had witnessed the firmer he came to believe in helping innocence. So many deaths could be averted if only the ascended stop being callous.

Perhaps when the ascended gave up their bodies, they also gave up their brains and hearts.

"Okay, so I'm trapped." He talked to himself loudly. "Let's see where the hell the exit is."

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, a transparent hologram emerged from nothingness in form of an elderly man. His long white beard fell to his chest, his clothing was a worn-out medieval style robe. The old man looked more like a bard than an ascended being.

"Alterans never fear pain, as they believe suffering is one path toward enlightenment."

The hologram spoke in ancient quietly, though Daniel hear him clearly despite the surrounding noise.

"Still, conniving a crime is in fact worse that pulling the trigger." Daniel tried his hand at forming a Zen-like retort. This hologram probably reacted on some keywords, but not knowing who this person was Daniel was not sure how to proceed. He resigned himself to a trial and error approach.

"Alas! A comrade at last!" The hologram exclaimed with delight. His expression was lively like a living person. "Finally, someone worthy after a thousand year."

"Hello sir." Daniel greeted him, fascinated by its personification. "I am Daniel Jackson of Tau'ri."

"And I am Morros of Lantean, also known as Myydin by the Tau'ri."

"Oh my god you are THE Merlin!" Daniel blurted out in shock. " The existences of Merlin and King Arthur were debated and disputed by modern historians because of the lack of historical evidence. As you really exists, the Arthurian legends are not just some folklores or stories written by clerics and poets!'

"My boy you are a chatty one!" Morros shook his head with a soft chuckle.

"Sorry…" Daniel blushed fiercely.

Morros smiled at him fondly, then his face grew solemn.

"As much as I want to chat with you, our time is limited. Once this hologram is activated a shield will ward over us from the Council, we have to conduct our business before the power run out. My duty could wait no longer."

"What do you mean your duty?"

"You might not know that the Council created this Arcade solely for me. I kept violating their non-interference rule that they finally decided to re-educate me. This place was warded heavily and no ascended being could ever escape without permission." Morros then smirked smugly. "Fortunately ascended power did not interfere with magic, I could easily slip away unnoticed. But then, I saw a vision that you were trapped in here. Seeing that the Council continues to use this place for dissidents, I left my hologram here, hidden and waiting."

"Bu…But I have no magic!" Daniel spluttered. "I couldn't even light the candle." He was still sore at Oma for misleading him on Kheb. His cheeks burned every time he recollected what had happened.

"Why do you need to light a candle with magic?" Morros raised his eyebrows. He shrugged and continued his explanation. "I am a prophet and my predictions rarely went wrong. If I see you as a wizard, then you are a wizard. Now, would you accept my assistance?"

"It would be great to have a way out of…" Daniel stopped in the middle of sentences as Merlin the hologram suddenly grasped his head, an action very similar to the Repository of knowledge. Before he could react, something tickled in his brain and started to hum. Some literally 'alien' ideas popped up here and there, organizing, rearranging and adjusting.

Gradually he had a action plan formed in his mind. Apparently he only needed to break down some ambient elements into their basic form of pure energy and manipulating the essences to pulse some ley line attunement pattern.

Right. Daniel rubbed his temples after some serious thinking.

He had no idea what it was all about.

Might be he should just skip to the practical part. If he didn't need to be a mechanical engineer to drive a car, then he didn't need to be a theorist to do magic either.

# # # # # # # #

Uncle Vernon dragged Harry by his hair away from the door, then dumped him on the wooden floor before the cupboard. Harry tried to get up but a punch in his face got him knocked down again.

"We fed you, we raised you, we clothed you, and we sheltered you. Is this how you repay us? A pigtail? _Threatening us with a stupid stick?_" Uncle Vernon grabbed his collar then pulled him to his feet, a accusing finger poked into his chest painfully. "I will tolerate no more!"

"Vernon, keep your voice down! The neighbor would hear you!" Auntie Petunia popped out her head from the living room and shushed them urgently. She gave Harry a hateful look, then spoke to Vernon in a whispering voice. "Dudley is still recovering, we can't let my Popkin see him! My poor baby has got enough scare for his lifetime already!"

"Don't worry Honey." Uncle Vernon said with a malicious grin. "You won't hear a sound."

True to his word, with a piece of cloth stuffed in Harry's mouth, even though he had screamed himself hoarse, no one heard anything from No.4 Privet Drive that night.

Uncle Vernon was still staying in the smallest bedroom when the midnight came. Moonlight was shinning through the window. From his spot on the floor he could see a Full moon hanging high in the sky. For a moment he stared at it dumbly, then all of a sudden Uncle Vernon walked into his sight.

The scared look on that puffy face was the oddest thing he had ever seen that Harry wanted to laugh out loud. But he found himself coughing and choking on his blood before he could open his mouth. Harry wondered about his injury until he remembered Uncle Vernon stomping on him and hearing those ribs crack. He figured that his poor ribs must have been broken.

While he had a piercing pain in his chest, there were also aches in his limbs. He didn't pay much attention to them though. He was struggling to keep breathing, but his windpipe and nostrils both closed up on him. The sticky choking echoed throughout the . Uncle Vernon shrieked in a terrified voice and backed out of the door, eyeing his weakening body with disbelief and horror.

As the darkness finally came to claim him, Harry sneered at Uncle Vernon with a _quirk_ on his lips before he slipped out of consciousness. The 11 years old boy took great pleasure in knowing his relative would face justice for murder and abuse, he only wished that he didn't need to suffer so much to achieve that.

"Oh, damn this bastard of a freak!" Vernon cursed shakily, noticed the boy had stopped those painful gasps of breath. In fact, the thin chest rose and fell, then did not rise again.

# # # # # # # #

AN: I confess! I like to torment too much that I didn't know when to stop.

Next charter: the joining of Daniel and little Harry!


	3. Chapter 3

1) This story is inspirited by Corwalch's HPSG story: Two Shall Be As One.

2) Disclaimer: Honestly, I own nothing. Don't sue.

3) Please forgive my grammar. English is not my first language, and I'm without a beta.

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Chapter 03

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

**Headmaster Office, Hogwarts - July 31 1991, before midnight**

'_Things start to heat up again, just as I expected.'_Albus Dumbledore thought with a grim determination, rolling a blood-red stone in his palm absently. No sooner had he retrieved the stone from Hagrid than he got a floo call from a panicking Nicholas Flamel. There was a break-in in Gringotts earlier that night attempted to get into Vault 713. Rumor was that it might be an inside job. Luckily Severus informed him someone had been asking around for the stone and thus he reacted just in time.

It was a pain in his old ass to persuade Nicholas letting the stone in his temporary custody, but given that Gringotts was no longer secured, Nicholas could only relied on the ancient Hogwarts protection wards until crisis passed. Might be he should ask other teachers to set up some traps too. No doubt the protection of this stone was of prime importance. He wouldn't dare to imagine what would become of the wizarding world if the stone fall into wrong hands.

'_Wait…that's it!'_

It might be his only chance to get the stone out of the picture once and for all without taking the blame. If the dark wizard powerful enough to break into Gringotts chasing its trail, surely it wouldn't be too surprising if the stone somehow got stolen, especially if the headmaster was called away by the minister.

Regrettably Nicholas and his wife would die, but they had already lived more life times that anyone could imagine anyway. He of course would avenge his friends by "catching" the thief after he mourned the Flamels. Some traps to show his effort, a fake stone to lurk the thief in, a perfect timing to push through the whole event. This' a golden opportunity to pull off what he has been longing to do. Immortality was not meant for human, it must be destroyed before corrupting people's mind with greed and power.

'_And don't forget little Harry and the prophecy.' _Dumbledore reminded himself. '_Troubles were brewing, and no doubts Tom would try to come back. Harry Potter must be prepared nice and quick. With the Dursleys as his guardians I don't need to worry of keeping him humble, yet it will take a lot to shape him into a savior. Luckily there is still time.'_

He stroked his nodding off phoenix on its back and mused on the coming school year. When he thought of calling it a night, several instruments he kept in his office suddenly wailed with high-pitched sounds. He hurried to the spindly-legged table faster than a 110 years old wizard should be.

The table was covered with Harry Potter Monitoring instruments, the loudest one linked with the presence of Harry Potter in No.4 Privet Drive told him the boy had remained in the house, which was good, while the spinning one linked with the boy's physical condition indicating "severe injury", which was bad. The most disturbing alarm was the completely irresponsive life-force signaler.

It could only mean one thing.

Harry Potter was dead.

# # # # # # # #

**Somewhere**

'_Murphy's law said: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.' _Daniel thought absently. '_And Jackson's law said: Anything that cannot go wrong will always go wrong.'_

He stood there, resigned to his famous "trouble magnet" curse. Apparently something had gone wrong during his magus portal jump, as rather than the expected SGC gate room, which was his original destination, he found himself standing in complete darkness.

He could tell from the stillness of surrounding air that he was in a confined room or a small cell. He reached out his arms and felt wooden surface under his fingertips at both sides. He moved his hands along the surface, realized his assumption was indeed correct. He was in a small room with wooden walls, a.k.a. a cupboard.

He gave the cupboard door a push and found it locked. Then out of a sudden a voice from his behind nearly startled his nonexistent little heart jumped out of his mouth.

"Who are you?"

Daniel wanted to slap himself for letting his guard down. As a member of SG1 with 5 years field experience, he should detect this roommate upon arrival. The voice obviously belonged a scared boy. Judged from where the voice came from, the boy probably got scared and shrank into a corner.

"Hello, my name is Daniel Jackson. It seems that I have lost my way and somehow end up here. I'm so sorry for scaring you." He spoke softly so as to calm the boy.

However the boy didn't reply but moaned in pain.

"Oh my god." Daniel immediately dropped to his knees, reached out for the hurting child. "Are you hurt?" His hand landed on a meager arm, and then moved upward to feel a bony face. The skin was sweaty and cold, which worried Daniel greatly.

Although his ascended power could heal illness and injury, he could do nothing without seeing where to heal. He switched into glinting mode immediately. His ascended form lighted up the cupboard like a mini sun. He gasped at what he saw, then growled in his throat as rage flared.

On the floor there lay a boy covered in blood and bruises. Those injuries no doubt were inflicted by kicking and punching, Daniel could even make out a large hand-shaped bruise around the thin neck, indicating at some point the boy was choked by his abuser. The most severe damage was done by broken ribs, which had punctured the lungs and caused heavy internal bleeding. All skin and bones under his over-sized clothes, the boy looked barely a day older than 10 years, though Daniel suspected it was because of malnutrition instead of age.

The implication was very plain. This boy had been brutally abused.

Physical injuries could be healed easily, but he doubted the almighty ascended power has any use on psychological trauma. Daniel signed sadly as he started to work. He could sympathize with the boy as he had been in a similar situation when he was under foster care.

His hands glowed as if he was wearing a pain of gloves made of light. He put one hand on the boy's lightening-scared forehead and the other over the chest. He let his power washed over the battled body in steady pulses, treating injuries one by one. Even though he could bolt his power out and heal in a blink of eyes, the approach might put the boy's sympathetic nervous system into a shock. Daniel preferred a more slow but more gentle approach.

The frowned eyebrows slowly smoothed away. The boy breathed out a small sign and opened his stunning emerald eyes. He stared at Daniel for a long while, then whispered wishfully.

"Are you an angel?"

"NO! No, of course not. I am an ascended being." Daniel felt flattered by the boy's comment. But considering Goa'ulds pretended to be Gods, he would hate to be associated with them for a case of mistaken identity. "I was one of those who left this world to the higher plane of existence. You could say I am just another life form"

However his shiny self was not very convincing against this whole angel idea.

"Then you ARE an angel." The boy said happily. "Have I died? Are you bringing me to my parents?" He blurted out the words in one breath, longing for a reunion with his family.

'He was an orphan just like me.' Daniel was saddened that this boy yearned for death instead of life. Yet as much as he loathed to do, he had to make the boy face the reality.

"I am sorry but I am not an angel. My name is Daniel Jackson and I was traveling before I got lost and strayed here. I found you on the floor and seriously hurt, so I use my ability to heal and wake you up." Daniel said patiently. "My power could be explained scientifically, but I don't think you would enjoy the lengthy and boring explanation. Do you understand so far?"

"Fine, you are not an angel, but an ascended being. I understand now." The boy nodded his head. Might be "ascended being" was the technical term of "angel". He would respect this and address Daniel as such. It would never hurt to be political correct either. "And my name is Harry Potter. Thank you for saving me. I thought I would be death alone without anyone notice, and even I was saved by someone, it would probably take months to cure all the injuries."

"Well, Harry, about the injuries…" Daniel noticed the boy tensed up instantly. "Were they from your guardian? Relatives, perhaps?"

Harry froze at the question. , then hesitatingly nodded his head, but did not elaborate.

"Is there anyone could take care of you?"

Harry shook his head.

Daniel paused a moment to consider "Personally I think an orphanage is a better choice than here. But the choice is yours. If you want to leave here, I would send you some place far away. "

"Really?" Emerald eyes widened.

"If you know the direction, I could bring you to anywhere on this planet. No matter what, I would stay awhile until you settle down." Daniel wanted to ensure the boy's welfare. If the children protection law on this planet were crap, he would go as far as to relocate the boy to another planet.

"Well, I always want to visit America." Harry smiled shyly at him.

"W,wait a minute! You said America, as in the United States?" Daniel spluttered. "I am on Earth?"

"I lived in Surrey near London, of course you are on Earth.' Harry tried to image how terrible the sense of direction Daniel possessed if he managed to lose his way from Heaven to Earth.

"Okay, we would go to Colorado then. Might be Jack and General Hammond could help us." Daniel replied inattentively. His mind forced on the new information. It seemed that regardless what happened to the magus portal, he missed his destination only by hundreds of miles, rather than light years.

Harry jumped to his feet and jolted Daniel out of his muse. Not that Daniel would blame him for his eager to leave. As the boy didn't mention packing, Daniel figured that there was nothing was deemed as important. Gently hugging the boy close to him, Daniel relaxed his hold on his sentience and let it pervade around throughout the surroundings.

"Strange…" Daniel muttered. "Something is blocking my senses. I don't even know where we are now." He couldn't sense the landscape outside the cupboard, which mean he could not pinpoint their current coordinates either.

"Might be it was Hagrid." Harry told him. "He was a wizard but he didn't finish his school. The problem is that although he is helpful, his magic doesn't always work. "

Daniel stopped himself from denying magic as Merlin, or Morros, was real.

"Whatever. Without proper coordinates I could not go far, but get out of here would not be a problem. Let's go."

As Harry leaned in closer, Daniel wrapped the boy with his ascended power then flew upward in the air weightlessly. The cupboard was overflowed with a flash of glorious light. When the darkness returned, Daniel and Harry both vanished without a trail.

# # # # # # # #

**Number 4 Privet Drive - August 1 1991, 00:05am**

The c_himney_of No. 4 Privet Drive started to spew out gray smoke. If other residents in the area were still awake, they might question Mr. Dursley why he use the fireplace in a mid-summer night. Vernon Dursley knew it was not normal but he had to do it. He refused to keep those freaky stuffs in his house.

After throwing in Harry's school stuff, Vernon tried to squeeze the dead owl into the fierce flames. The damn owl not only was too noisy to be normal, it was also too fat for a normal fireplace! He thrown the strangled owl back to the floor, decided it belongs to a rubbish tin.

With a loud BANG, the front door was thrust open. Dumbledore burst in with a flaming phoenix on his shoulder, his robe billowing behind him. He caught Vernon by the arm with a strong grip, snarled at him.

"Where is he? You fool!"

"I..I..don, don't know what you mean, old man." Vernon stuttered.

"Don't you dare play with to me, Vernon Dursley!" Dumbledore spat his name out as if it was a curse. "I know everything happened in this house and Merlin bless me, if Harry Potter died, so will you! Now tell me where he is!"

"In… in his bedroom upstairs." Vernon Dursley cringed.

Without another word, Dumbledore ran up the stairs. He was only up to the stair head when a blinding flash of light explored from the bedroom at the far end. Magic radiated all over the place, and he sensed a touch of purity underneath young Harry's magic signature.

Accident magic was not uncommon among children though rarely in such powerful scale. As soon as Dumbledore recovered from his shock, he ran into the half-opened bedroom.

The curtains were drawn open, and he could see quite clear in the moonlight. The boy who lived lay on the floor, covered in blood and unconscious. Dumbeldore settled the boy on the bed with a levitation charm, then started to cast spells after spells to check on his condition. He expected the worst but the medical spells told a different story. Broken ribs mended, bruises faded, swelling reduced, blood replenished. Had the medical spell not traced back to last few hours, he could never tell the boy had been so seriously injured.

All in all, without a mediwizard there was not much left to do. Dumbledore thought about calling in Madam Pomfrey, but dismissed it right away. He did not need any unwanted questions from people close by after all.

"Fawkes, please give him a drop of your healing tears. We have to make sure he is alright."

His pet phoenix still stood on the old man's shoulder, but it complied with a dip of its head. Dumbledore sat on a bedside and held the boy's jaw open. One tear dropped from its blinking eye into the open mouth.

"Perfect. It will handle everything." Dumbledore murmured with a satisfied nod. He cleaned up the bedroom with several Reparo and Scourgify. Then he turned his wand toward Harry's chest. "Enervate!" Different from his previous spells, this particular spell was spoken loud and clear.

Harry Potter woke up with a gasp, eyes widened at the sight of his surrounding, looked utterly disoriented and bewildered.

"Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked softly.

# # # # # # # #


	4. Chapter 4

1) This story is inspirited by Corwalch's HPSG story: Two Shall Be As One.

2) Disclaimer: Honestly, I own nothing. Don't sue.

3) Please forgive my grammar. English is not my first language, and I'm without a beta.

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Chapter 04

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

[…Mental conversation…] "…Verbal conversation…" '…Thoughts…'

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The cupboard dissolved into a whirlpool of stark vacancy, and when the world finally stopped spinning and everything calmed down, Daniel and Harry were floating up high, with poles of puffy and cotton-like clouds passing by.

.

[Well, blue sky, daylight, at least the weather is good.] Daniel looked around then stated calmly, secretly wishing for something to bang his head on.

[I hate to ask this, but…] Harry poked his head out from Daniel's embrace, peered down at the ground below, which remained unseen, then looked back up at the older man with a mischievous smile. [Are you lost again, Mr. Jackson?]

[I'm not sure…] Daniel answered uncertainly. By all appearance they were high up in sky, but he didn't detect any effect from the high altitude. There was no wind, and the air didn't even feel cold.

When a particularly thick cloud brushed by him, it popped like a bubble and shattered into a mist of vapor. All of a sudden something slipped into his brain then leaped out of his mind, started to replay in a first person point of view. Ran away from Privet Drive, escaped to a rock in the sea, met the kind hearted giant, learned of the wizarding world. The memory involved a daylong event, yet only a few second passed in real time. As the memory ended, the mist of vapor reformed to its shape of cloud and floated away.

[Oh my god!] Daniel gasped. [Harry, it is your memory! All of them!]

[What?]

[Come on. Just touch one.] Daniel urged him. [Poke it.]

Harry was curious why Daniel froze when a cloud burst, so he poked one nearby as he was told. As the cloud broke with a quiet pop at his fingertip, he found himself suffering his mathematics final exam once again. He had too many chores to do and no time left for revision, as soon as he laid eyes on the exam paper he realized he might not need to worry about outdoing Dudley. It was too embarrassing that Harry sighed with relief when he got out from the memory.

The day was getting weirder and weirder.

[How could this happen?] His puzzled eyes settled on Daniel.

The older man scratched his head, thinking hard as he spoke. [Since we are in a dimension filled with your memories, we could safely assume that we are in your mind. It was just like how Buddha likened our mind to. A clear blue sky represents our mind, vast and unobstructed, while these clouds are our thoughts and feelings, keep arising and dissolving inside our mind.]

[And the cupboard?]

[The cupboard probably was some place you feel safe to hide in that your subconscious replicated it in your mind as a safe haven. When your uncle attacked you, you must had retreated into your mind and hide in there.]

Harry had to admit he did feel safe back there whenever he stayed in his cupboard. Uncle Vernon was too fat to get in, Auntie Petunia refused to be near it as it was too filthy, and Dudley preferred to jump at the stairs above it since dusting Harry was funnier. Nothing bad, except the lack of foods and freedom, had ever happened to him as long as he stayed there quietly.

Seeing the boy was following him so far, Daniel continued. [When I healed you in your cupboard, I was actually healing your spirit instead of your body. When I brought you out of the cupboard, instead of getting out of your uncle's house, I was bringing your consciousness out of reclusion.] He gave Harry a comforting smile. [I would need to heal your body as it is most likely still injured, but as soon as you return to awareness, you would awaken fine.]

Harry silenced for a moment and then wondered aloud. [How come you get into my mind in the first place?]

[Yeah, how come indeed.] Daniel echoed dryly. To tell the truth he blamed Morros for his poorly written magus portal creation manual. However figuring out the reason was not his first priority. [Anyway, you had better prepare to wake up. It only takes me a minute or two to heal you.]

[But I don't know how.] Harry said. [How can I wake up when I am not sleeping?]

Daniel opened his mouth to start his explanation, but then he furrowed his brow. The technique of deep meditation was too complex to simplify into simple words. It took a lot of practices for a child to get into basic meditation, and it took them even longer, if possible at all, to achieve a deeper status. He made up his mind after a brief consideration.

[I could try to bring you back to awareness, but the feeling would be very intimate.] Daniel smiled at his pouting face and gave the spiky hair a ruffle. Harry nodded in agreement and buried himself deeper in Daniel's arms, in case it would be another spinning trip.

Daniel focused on his energy pattern to match Harry's human life source into harmony. In an instant he established a linkage between Harry, himself and corporeality. He pulled Harry along with his sentient probe toward outer dimension. A bodily limitation binding his being like clothes over skin as he arose from subconscious, while Harry tucked at the back of his mind slowly connecting to the body. Daniel seized a hold on the nervous system and isolated it from Harry because he planed to mend all damages at once and it was by no way painless. With a blast of pure energy, the body was as good as new.

[You are breathing and your heart is beating. Everything is good. ] Daniel released the control back to his protectee, nudged Harry onto the forefront. [Now go, give it a try.]

[Hey! It's my body not a new car!] Harry protested playfully. He was just about to work out his body part when someone ran into his bedroom. He could not see yet but his hearing was as sharp as he could be, he could hear the panting and footsteps approaching closer to him.

"Mobilicorpus." The voice, which belonged to an aged man, stated calmly.

[It is Latin. It means "move" and "body".] Daniel translated the words instinctively. However, Harry could understand its meaning perfectly even without a translation. He was floating in the air! Not the same way he floated with Daniel in his mind but actually floating in the air without clinging on anything. Before long he was settled down to his bed.

[Not really.] Daniel told him after observing the energy flow. [There is some kind of energy coming from the man when he spoke the word.]

[The Mobi- word must be a spell.] Harry said. [Is he holding a wand?]

[Yes, he has a stick in his right hand.] Daniel confirmed. [And…he has a firebird on his shoulder.] He detected a high amount of pure energy radiated from the bird, and it puzzled him greatly. It was impossible to contain power with such intensity in a corporal form, attempting it would usually would prompt the entity toward ascension. Yet the bird was still here ruffling its feathers. It made Daniel thought of the Phoenix mentioned in mythology, and wondered if it was one of them.

[I don't know anything about a firebird, but if he has a wand, he should be a wizard.] Harry was a bit put off that he still could see nothing.

They stopped talking and observed with childlike curious as the old man continued to hit them with spells. Daniel connected the wording with Latin and suggested that those were for medical purposes.

"Fawkes, please give him a drop of your healing tears. We have to make sure he is alright."

The old man spoke to someone, but Daniel didn't locate another person in the room. Their jaw was held open so fast that Harry and Daniel hardly reacted until they felt a drop of fire slid down their throat. Energy burst into their veins and limbs, burning toward their inner core and drowning them with strength.

Harry was overwhelmed by the drunkenness and draw back to the calmness of his mind, while Daniel feared for his life as his ascended essence, which basically was the soul of an ascended being, started shrinking in an alarming speed. Unknown to Daniel, at least for now, that instead of weakening him, reducing volume led to a higher density and thus allowed his energy manipulation to be more precise and efficient.

However it also left him a big problem. The shift in power structure and the pressure in compressed power always guarantee energy fluctuation, and fluctuate it did. Not longer peaceful and calm as lake water, energy rampaged to all directions ripping Daniel apart. Painful did not start to describe it.

"Evervate" was all he heard. A bolt of magic struck him in the chest like a defibrillator shock and pushed him over the edge of losing control. He gasped and jerked and suddenly opened his eyes, a face seamed with wrinkles came in sight.

"Mr. Potter?" The old man asked in a soft voice.

"Um…yes?" Daniel masked his uncertainty with shyness. He couldn't simulate Harry well as he only just met the boy, luckily this old man obviously did not meet Harry before either.

Nevertheless Daniel only paid half-attention to the conversation, his other half attention was searching for the poor boy back within the boundary of Harry's subconscious. He had yet listened from Harry and he began to worry if he somehow had squeezed the boy out of this body.

"I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The old man introduced himself with a hint of superior. Daniel could tell that he tried to tone it down but not successful to concealed it completely.

"Yeah, I remember your name in my Hogwarts letter." Daniel recalled the ridiculously long name and its attached titles in a school letter. His suspicion raised immediately. "If you are the headmaster, then why are you here?" He waved his hand at his bedroom. "I mean, shouldn't you do your home visit in daytime…sir?"

It was clear that the "sir" was added as a second thought, but the old headmaster still gave him a grateful smile for the gesture. "My visit is not for Hogwarts business. Earlier this night the protection ward around your home alarmed me of your safety, thus I came to see if you are alright."

"Protection Ward?" Daniel paused. He assumed that ward was a magical ward, which he knew absolutely nothing, and he didn't dare to use his power while it's still unstable. So he did the most logical thing. Ask. "What is a protection ward? Why is it here? And what is it for?"

"For your protection, of course." Albus Dumbledore chuckled at the eager questioning. "Voldermort demised at that night, yet not all of his followers faced justice. Some of them were in prison, some of them search some ways to bring back their master, and some of them seek for revenge." He looked into Daniel's eyes, continued sternly. "Yes, they would go after you if they know your whereabouts. That's why I set up this protection ward around the house. As long as you stay here with your auntie, the magic would protect you and other residents from magical harm."

"But not from non-magical harm, obviously." Daniel found his mouth retorted sarcastically, however he was not the one speaking. It was so strange to feel your body move without your own consent, he couldn't really complaint though. This was not his body to start with.

[Um…hi.] Harry greeted him slyly.

[Harry are you alright? I was so worry about you!] Daniel wanted to say more but stopped in mid-sentence as Dumbledore started talking again. [Do you want to speak to him?]

[No, could you handle him please?] Harry asked. As a neglected child, he always got nervous when facing adults. Daniel was the only exception.

"I am sorry my child, When I left you in their care, I didn't expect your relatives would react so badly to your magic talent." Dumbledore signed.

"Why is orphan placement a school matter? Headmaster Dumbledore." Daniel raised his _brow_ at the unusual procedure. While Harry might not understand the implication, Daniel had spent enough time in foster system to harbor suspicion against the action.

"As the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, I held certain authority to act on behalf of the Ministry of Magic during a declared wartime." Dumbledore said in a dismissive manner. "I was good friends with your parents, they certainly would like me to take care of you."

"I guess it proved you won't work well in Child Service Department then." Daniel muttered darkly to himself. "Anyway, as you see it didn't work out, would you please relocate me to somewhere else now? Other relatives, some family friends, or maybe a register orphanage."

"Oh it is not necessary. There is no reason to separate you from your family just because you are going to Hogwarts." Dumbledore smiled with his twinkled eyes. "I would have a talk with you uncle about his behavior. Hagrid must have unsettled him if he lost his temper like this."

[What? Is he crazy?] Harry couldn't believe his ears. If he remained control of his body, he would be jumping up and down in fury. This old man claimed to have a protection ward set up around this house, which should show how close to death he had been tonight, and yet Dumbledore disregarded it as a loss of temper?

[Not likely, nor that he is stupid.] Daniel said calmly. He had met too many politicians to think them as incompetent, no matter how dumb they acted.

"No sir. Vernon Dursley didn't just throw a tantrum. It was an attack! It is how things have been going on within this household for the last 10 years. These people are not fitted to take care of children, not to mention a magical one!" Daniel yelled at the old man like a emotional boy, at the same time he observed Dumbledore carefully.

The Santa Claus grandfatherly smile dimmed.

"How could you remember?" He whispered, almost too low for Daniel to catch. Then he shook his head sharply. His wand moved toward the boy's forehead as he spoke. "It doesn't matter. As much as it pained me to sacrifice your childhood, your survival is most important to our world. You must stay here under the protection. I assure you, I would do my best to make your stay as comfortable as it could be."

"Look, with all due respect, it is not a wartime and you are only a school headmaster. You have no right to interfere any legal matter." Daniel said, eyeing the wand warily. He was putting the pieces together, although some questions remained unanswered, he had a dread feeling that Harry Potter was probably in a deep shit.

"It is for your own good." Dumbledore smiled weakly. "Obliviate!"

A corresponding Latin word popped into Daniel's mind.

Oblivisci.

Which meant 'forget'.

By the time Daniel figured out what the old man intended to do, the spell had already hit Harry at the forehead. Its magic pierced through the boundary between reality and mind, reaching one of those floating cloud-like memories.

Ascended power would stop the invasion with no difficulty, but Daniel hesitated as he did not sure if the interception would effect Harry's mind. And then, an idea came to him.

# # # # # # # #

Stared into the glassy emerald eyes, Dumbledore manipulated the memory as if puppeteers with their puppets. Dumbledore gave himself a pat on his back for a job well done. Erasing all pain and sorrow from a innocent boy, a painful night was now replaced by a sweet dream, Seeing the boy nestled into the embrace of Morpheus, his guilt of dooming the Potter Heir to a hell of childhood was eased. Might be tonight he could sleep in peace.

"All that's left is Vernon." Dumbledore murmured lowly, He closed the door behind him as he left the small bedroom. Footsteps led to downstairs, an outburst of anger exploded in the living room. While Vernon Dursley did not remember his numerous encounters with the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore had otherwise recalled all vulgar insults spitted in his face. He expected a fierce argument from the obese man, and he did get it.

Back to the smallest bedroom, the boy who lived slept like a log in the summer breeze and moonlight, though he was in fact in the middle of conversation with Daniel within his sky-like mind when the yelling stopped abruptly.

[I think Dumbledore used the Obliviate spell on your Uncle too.] Daniel told him. After a pause, he added. [I'm afraid last night may not the only incident between you and Dursley.]

[I know.] Harry finally spoke after a long silent, his jaw clenching. [I suspected as much after he said "how could you remember".] He looked up to the older man. [What's happened to his spell? Did you get rid of it? ]

[Well, I kind of…trapped it.] Daniel hooked his finger in the air and pulled in a cage of light. Several clouds in stormy gray were frozen within. [His spell was targeting several memories of yours. I didn't want to stop him and alert him of my existence, so I copy your memories and let the spell ran its course. Turn out that the spell does more than just make you forget.]

A screen appeared in front of them and started to play a series of scenes. It started from his Diagon Alley trip, which he handed his trunk to Hagrid for safe keeping, and ended by his return to No4 Privet Drive, which he turned in early immediately once he stepped in the house.

[It's not what happened!] Harry was stunned at the fake yet realistic scenes. [So is it what wizard do? No matter what happened, just flick their wands, make the victims forget and leave the truth six feet under?] If that was how wizarding world work, no wonder Uncle Vernon and Auntie Petunia hated Magic so much.

[I don't know about wizards and witches in general, but this Albus Dumbledore held an unnatural interest in your life.]

[I….] Harry stopped in mid sentence as he realized something. [Oh no! Hedwig! The memories didn't show Hagrid giving her to me!] It went without saying that something happened to the poor owl if Dumbledore didn't want Harry to remember her.

Harry tried to fight back his tears but a few sobs escaped. He mourned for Hedwig not only because she was his first pet and his first birthday present, but also because he felt guilty for her death. He should not accept her when Hagrid offered her as gift, after all he knew Vernon would never allow him to keep a freaky pet.

[I don't want to go to Hogwarts anymore.] He whined in tearful voice. Even though magic seemed to be fascinating, other things that go with it were not as attractive.

[It never is a choice.] Daniel signed. [If Dumbledore had kept tag on you for 10 years, he would not let you slip through his fingers. He could track you down by magic even if I send you to the States. ] Seeing the despair on his face, Daniel pulled him into a hug. [Don't worry, if worst comes to worst, we could still go offworld. Now, tell e everything.]

The unspoken promise was enough to calm Harry down. He started to recite his story.

# # # # # # # #

[For some reason, a Dark Lord decided to go after a couple and a baby in person, instead of sending out his many minions. For some reason, he got destroyed after leaving you a curse scar. For some reason, while no one knew what happened that night, everyone hailed you as their savior. For some reason, you was left here by a school headmaster instead Child Service Department. ]

[It does sound suspicious when you word it this way.] Harry admitted.

[The aforementioned Headmaster monitored you via a magic ward, which had informed him of your living status, and yet he did nothing. The same Headmaster might have altered your memories, possibly covering some physical abuses. He also sent a school worker who, even though was nice, had been expelled and thus under-educated to introduce you the wizarding world.] Daniel continued to summarize all information in hand. [It should be noted that the school worker is extremely loyal to him and in his debt. Last but not least, the headmaster obviously held your vault key for 10 years until recently. He handed in to Hagrid who then passed it to you. ]

[The Goblin did not ask me to identify myself.] Harry recalled. [Actually, it was Hagrid who gave him the key, not me.]

[If anyone could access the vault with the key…we have to see if the bank keep any withdrawal record and bank statement. In fact we need a lot of information for further planning, and we could only get it in wizarding world. We have to go to that Alley, check your finance, get some books, and then we would start from there. ]

Harry nodded. If he finish his chores fast, he could have his afternoon free for a trip. [So what do we do now?]

[Sleep, of course. It's way passed your bedtime, kid. ] Daniel ruffled the spiky hair playfully, wrestling to keep the boy from running away. [Honestly, I have stayed in your body for too long. We should separate now when the old man has gone.]

[Now?] Harry pouted a little. Although having another person stunk in your mind was the strangest thing had ever happened to him, he really enjoyed Daniel's company and started to miss him already.

[Ascended power is too enormous for human body. I don't want to test your tolerance limit. Trust me, it would not be pretty.] Daniel said. He gave a final pat on Harry's head and changed back to his _glowy_ self. [See you outside.] He rose skyward and disappeared in a flash of light.

As soon as he reappeared in the bedroom, he yelped in pain as he felt like he was torn from inside out. A tug in his gut pulled him away quickly as if hooked by a magnet. In a blink, Daniel slammed backward into something.

[Ow, it hurt.] A childish voice complained.

Daniel picked himself and faced the boy he just left. He was astonished and completely speechless. An ascended being could not return to his energy form? Never before he had heard of a case like this.

[It seems like you would stay a little while longer.] Harry smiled at him. [You are most welcome. I don't mind sharing with you.] Although they didn't share their thoughts the way a telepathist did, what he sensed from Daniel ensured him the older man would never possess him without consent.

[You won't want me tag along once you make a girl friend.] Daniel smiled weakly.

[Why?] Emerald eyes blinked innocently.

[No reason.] Daniel didn't want to talk about Birds and Bees, at least not now. He needed to think, and he needed to plan. [Anyway, it's getting late. You should rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow.]

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AN: Thanks a lot for all reviews. :)

Next Chapter: A Diagon Alley trip


	5. Chapter 5

(Disclaimer in chapter 1)

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

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Chapter 05

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[…Mental conversation…] "…Verbal conversation…" '…Thoughts…'

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Harry slept through the yelling from Petunia next morning and only woke up when his stomach rumbled with hunger. He opened his eyes and closed them with a groan immediately as sunlight was shining right into his eyelids. The sound coming from his stomach got louder, Harry tried to recall when and what had he last eaten. Oh right, that hamburger in Paddington station yesterday. All Hagrid had feed him before that was some leftover ham and an ice cream. The man might be a great guy, but he definitely didn't know how to take care of a growing child.

[Good morning, Harry.] Daniel greeted in soft voice, not wanting to startle him.

['Morning.] Harry replied after a long yawn. He peeked at his watch and found it was half past ten already. Normally he would have been dragged out of the bed already. He wondered why his relatives allowed him to sleep in today.

He pushed himself off the bed and walked to the door. When hie twisted the door handle, it did not open.

"Oh no, they lock me up again." Harry whined. It was an unwritten rule in this house to have the freak locked up whether the Dursleys were out. Luckily this time he was locked up in a room instead of his cupboard as usual, it also meant that he would be Dursley-free for the whole day until dinner. However his bladder was now painfully full and if he couldn't get to the washroom anytime soon…

Daniel snickered and flicked the door lock open with ascended power, then busted out laughter when Harry dashed out with his hands pushing down his pants and boxers.

Finished his morning rituals, a refreshed Harry Potter went downstairs to the kitchen. He made himself a sandwich and looked around the house, confirming that the house was indeed empty of the Dursleys. He settled on the couch in the living room and chewed on his food absentmindedly. Then his eyes landed on a white feather half hidden between the gap of the wall and fireplace, memories rushed back into his mind.

His owl Hedwig was dead, its neck snapped by the hands of his obese uncle. His school stuff was burnt down to ashes. The meeting with Dumbledore was the last straw on camel's back. Harry had hoped for a brighter future in wizarding world, yet his dream was now diminished into doubt and distrust.

Stonewall High might not a bad idea after all.

[I don't think Dumbledore would let you go so easily.] Daniel signed darkly then changed the subject quickly. [Anyway, do you have any money?]

[Yeah, but not much. What for?] Harry asked as he picked up the feather and pocketed it. He intended to keep it as a memoriam for the lost pet.

[Obviously, you are a celebrity to all wizards and witches. Everyone knows about your mighty self while you know nothing about them or yourself.] Daniel urged him back to his bedroom for the money and explained along the way. [We need information, but we surely can't find it in Waterstones.]

[So, the Diagon Alley?] Harry half asked, half stated. He climbed up to the stairs and made a beeline into his bedroom, reaching behind the bookshelf to dig out a pouch. It was filled with coins in varied sizes and colors that he picked up in school playground or the park for years. He reserved the money for emergency and had only used it once last year to bought some food after being starved for 3 days.

[Yep.] Daniel said, satisfied with the amount they've got. [But before we go. do you happen to know where your auntie put her cosmetics?]

# # # # # # # #

**Sutton Station, Surrey – August 1 1991, 11:03am**

5 seconds before the train left for London, a small boy ran across the platform, passed the closing doors and slumped on an empty seat at the end of the compartment, breathing hard. The train pulled off as scheduled, and by all appearance the boy leaned against the windows and closed his eyes for a nap.

Unknown to outsiders, the boy was now gasping at his own mindscape, open-mouthed and wide-eyed.

[We have 40 minutes before we change at Bridge, then it would be another 10 minutes to Charing Cross.] Daniel said as he considered the shortest route. They could otherwise change for a Tube at Victoria, but then they would need to buy another ticket. He was deep in thoughts and missed the shocked look on the youngish face.

[Is that a pyramid?] Harry looked around stunned and baffled. A golden pyramid that he had only seen on Discovery Channel suspended in the air as if stationed on some invisible ground.

[Well, an ascended being apparently does not require sleeping. It leaves me much leisure to wonder around this world. Frankly I was bored.] Daniel looked slightly embarrassed. [As I recalled that obliviate spell took a physical form when attacked, I tried to materialize something out of nothingness. It seems that as long as my visualization was firm and detailed, which require a great deal of effort, the substance would remain solidified. It took me the whole night of trial-and-error, and, it is what I've got.]

[But..a PYRAMID?]

[An exact copy of the Pyramid of Khufu, the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in Giza Necropolis.] Daniel told him proudly, as if it explained everything.

[Are you going to add a sphinx then?] Harry asked weakly.

The question was answered with great enthusiasm and a triumphant smile.

[Of course! I could always put the Great Sphinx there, slightly behind the Pyramid of Khafre.]

In the end, it took Harry the whole trip to Bridge to persuade the eager archaeologist that: even thought the pyramids were fascinating, it might not be a good idea to use them for a floor plan because he would literally "lose his mind" in those remarkable antiquities.

Daniel agreed to build the Tower of London instead.

# # # # # # # #

**Leaky Cauldron – August 1 1991, 12:15pm**

Serving as a gateway between Muggle London and Diagon Alley, the dark and shabby bar was the most famous and popular place for witches and wizards. Although it was a weekday, Leaky Cauldron was still packed with customers for lunches and drinks. Tom, the bald bartender, was dashing here and there to fill the incoming orders. No one noticed a boy sneaked in from the muggle side and sneaked into the courtyard.

[Harry, breathe!] Daniel told the nervous boy. [Without your scar no one will know you are Harry Potter!]

The famous scar was indeed well hidden under his fringes. Just before they left No.4 Privet Drive, Daniel rummaged around the master bedroom and managed to find a tube of concealer. The color tone matched Harry's skin perfectly and his forehead was now bare without a hint of disguise.

Harry stood in front of the trash can and stared at the wall above it, trying to recall the way Hagrid tapped on the bricks.

[Here, here, and….yes, here!] He tapped the wall three times with his fingertips. The bricks twisted and wiggled aside to reveal an archway and a street busting with people.

[WOW!] Daniel gaped with amazement at the magical street. After visiting planets over the galaxy, in the end it was a hidden community on the mother Earth astounded him most.

[Welcome to Diagon Alley.] Harry smiled at the excitement coming from his companion. He too was excited to visit here again after the brief tour yesterday. While he was not a fan of shopping, it would be nice to stroll around the street at his leisure.

Shops of all assorted business stood at both sides of the street. Parents were shouting and yelling, children was running around and chasing each other. Diagon Alley was overflowed. Harry had to weave his way through the crowd for half an hour before he reached the snowy building of Gringotts.

[What are these little fellows?] Daniel wondered loudly when he saw the uniformed guard standing beside the bronze doors. The creature looked like a hybrid from an Unas and a Asgard, might be he was a offspring of some alien races.

[They are goblins.] Harry said as he walked into the main hall. [I know nothing about them, but the one I met was quite helpful.]

There were about a hundred goblins serving behind a long counter in the vast marble hall, but most of them were working with a client already. Harry walked further into the hall until he spotted a free one.

"Excuse me, sir." Harry spoke up to get the goblin's attention. "I have lost my vault key. Is it possible to get a new one?"

The goblin leaned forward and sized him up with narrow eyes for a moment, then said. "It could be done. The inheritance test costs 20 galleons and each vault key costs 5 galleons." Seeing Harry nodded his acceptance, the goblin handed him a knife and a piece of parchment. "Please pick your finger to drop your blood on this parchment. If you hold ownership of any vault, the information will show up on this parchment."

Harry grimaced at the bloody way of identification but he complied without complaint. The knife was sharp enough to make the cut almost painless. He squeezed his finger and a few drop of blood fell, which was soaked into the parchment and disappeared immediately. The goblin snatched it out of his hand before Harry could take a peek at the result. He pouted and put the knife back on to the counter.

"Let's see. One Mr. Harry James Potter." The goblin murmured in affirmation. "Owner of the Potter Family Vault, Vault 687. Subordinate owner of the Black family vault, Vault 711. Owner of the Peverell Family Vault, Vault 45..." He shut up abruptly and looked up at Harry with a dumbstruck expression.

"Yes?" Harry stared back blankly.

The goblin scrolled the parchment hurriedly and hustled Harry to follow him with a sharp "Come". He jumped off the high stool and trotted down the hall, with a Harry Potter jogged behind to keep up the pace. At the far end of the hall there stood a giant door carved out of marble, giving out a sense of supremacy. The goblin did not stop or hesitate. He pushed the door open and hastened in.

"Lord Ragnok." He greeted the other goblin with a respectful bow.

"Something happened?" It was the goblin who Lord Ragnok spoke to, though he glanced curiously at Harry who looked back at him with same amount of curiousness.

"My Lord, a inheritance test revealed that Mr. Potter is to be claiming the heirship of Merlin."

"WHAT?" [WHAT?] Both Lord Ragnok and Daniel shouted at the same time. Their voices echoed in Harry's eardrums and brain, made him dizzy for a short while.

The goblin lord jumped out of his chair to grab the parchment, all his dignity forsaken in a matter of seconds. He finished reading quickly, then barked at his inferior sharply. "Out! Now!" The marble door opened and closed, leaving Harry alone with the excited goblin lord.

"Please have a seat, Mr. Potter." Lord Ragnok turned his gaze back to Harry, his mouth curled into a beaming smile and revealed a row of pointy teeth. "So many things yet so little time. We had better get your affairs in order before this day ends."

Harry swallowed hard. He had a feeling that something big was going to happen, and he could do nothing to stop that.

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AN1: Sorry for the long wait. Obviously my computer decided it was time to resign and it didn't even give me a 2-weeks notice. Poor me needed to save up my allowance for a new one.

AN2: Thanks to all my reviewers. Your support helped me to get through the re-typing thing after my computer broke down. (^3^) ~Kiss

Next Chapter: The Merlin Vault


	6. Chapter 6

(Disclaimer in chapter 1)

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Chapter 06

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[…Mental conversation…] "…Verbal conversation…" '…Thoughts…'

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**Gringotts Bank – August 1 1991, 13:03pm**

"Alright, everything seems to be in order." Lord Ragnok murmured to himself as he checked the mountain of scrolls for signatures. However, just before Daniel could sigh with relief, another stack of scrolls appeared out of nowhere and piled up all over the desk again. He groaned instead, and banged his head at the edge of the office desk.

"Mr. Potter, we are not done yet. We have just finished the Potter vault and the Black vault, here is for the Peverell family." Lord Ragnok started handing him scrolls after scrolls, with detailed explanation of their context.

Daniel picked up a quill and resigned himself to the never-ending job of signing again as a certain imp could only write illegible scrawl with a quill. He had to stop himself from signing 'Daniel Jackson' several times and he suspected he would get a repetitive strain injury soon. Paperwork (or parchment work in this case) done, a few more blood verification finished and a aching wrist later, Lord Ragnok gathered the signed scrolls and left for about 10 minutes.

The goblin lord returned with a small wooden case.

"Gringotts has acknowledged your claims to the Potter vault and the Peverell vault. These are your keys for access." Lord Ragnok gave him the case, which was about the size of a ring box, then continued. "On the other hand, the existing owner of Black vault have not released entrée. As he was incapacitated in jail and not approachable, we could only grant you a 200 galleon monthly allowance according to Clause 11 of the Regulation of Non-blood Heirship."

Harry stopped his admiration of the new gold keys and looked at the goblin lord curiously. "If the owner is not died, how come I become its owner, a subordinate one that is?"

"To the best of my knowledge, Mr. Black was appointed as your godfather by your parents." Lord Ragnok told him with a blank face.

"Godfather?" Harry gaped. [As in…the Godfather of Mafia?]

[As in the person who stood for a child during baptism.] Daniel corrected him immediately. Who should take care of you when your parents died, he mused, wondering if the man's imprisonment was the reason Harry lived with the Dursleys.

Lord Ragnok said no more on this topic, besides telling Harry that he could pay for a full family tapestry if he desired details of his family tree. He opened a side door and gestured Harry to follow him. They walked into a dimly lighted passageway, at the end of it was an atrium several stories high with a glazed roof. The atrium was almost bare of furniture, except those vivid statues and sculptures of goblin fighters covering everywhere of the walls, and one stone pedestal basin standing in the very central.

"There is a muggle saying about hide in plain sight, so we adopted the concept and put the entry of Merlin vault here, to conceal it between the monuments of goblin martyrs." The goblin lord said smugly, and escorted Harry to the pedestal basin.

The basin was an ordinary one, just like any basin you could find in a park, though in a close distance one could see the shallow inscription carved on its interior.

[It's an archaism of the Ancients!] Daniel gazed at the inscription, absolutely enthralled.

[What does it say?] Harry asked. Although the inscription was very beautiful, it meant nothing to him.

[Reach the key for your destination.] Daniel read it, then stated. [It was signed by Moros.]

[But there is nothing in the basin.]

[As the writing is in ancients and Moros was once ascended…] Daniel trailed off as he reached out his hand tentatively to the basin, wrapped his hand in a slight glow of ascended power. His fingertip gave a featherlike touch at the bowl edge, and suddenly a burst of light flashed around the basin. When the light died out, a crystal piece shaped like a credit card was now suspended in the air. The crystal piece was perfectly transparent, yet there was some circuit-like marking engraved on the surface. It floated for a moment then suddenly dropped. Harry made a spontaneous grip for it before Daniel could stop him. He was swept right away once his fingers clutched around the crystal card.

# # # # # # # #

**Somewhere, Someplace – August 1 1991, 13:27pm**

When the world stopped spinning, Harry found himself standing in a complete darkness, not even a spark to make out the surrounding, though the airy feeling indicated they were in someplace spacious.

[We really need to work on this body turnover thing.] Daniel commented dryly. He figured that it must be Karama for always being a pain in Jack's ass. [And Don't, Touch, Anything. Not until I check them out.]

[I need to see something before I could touch them.] Harry pouted slightly but nevertheless promised him good behavior.

Daniel looked around and saw only darkness. He made his hand glow and lifted it up, lightening only the area within the radius of his forearm. But it was enough for Daniel to see what lay in front of him.

A Ancient control panel.

The altar-like device resembled the one SG1 discovered on P4X-639 which Daniel and Sam had studied thoroughly after the time-loop was broken. By standing on the platform, the device should light up and ready for activation via those stone tablets.

Yet the darkness remained when he stepped on it.

[Strange.] Daniel murmured.

[Might be it was broken?] Harry suggested.

[Or.] Daniel stared at the crystal piece in his hand for a moment. [Might be something is missing.]

He knelt down to grope for the flanks of the control panel and found what he wanted. He pressed in a loose corner, and a full tray of glowing crystals in varied colors slid out soundlessly. There was a empty socket at 2nd row in the same shape of the crystal piece Daniel held. He inserted the crystal piece and pushed the tray back in place.

Fire flared out along the wall and illuminated the room, revealed a large cavern with no visible exit but two narrow tunnels at the far end. A humming sound could be heard coming from the control device, and the stone tablets shifted up and down in some sequences. When the tablets finally settled down, a human form emerged from the air and stood before the control panel,

[A ghost! Weird!] Harry mouthed the words.

[It's a hologram.] Daniel told him. [A three-dimensional image projected by advanced technology.]

In medieval clothes, transparent and glinting in the flare of torches, no wonder the boy though he saw a ghost. But Daniel knew better. After all, he had met this person before.

"Moros." Daniel said breathlessly.

His suspicion was correct. Moros of the Ancients and Merlin in the Arthurian legend were indeed the same person. Moros must have somehow retained his memory and descended as Merlin, otherwise he wouldn't be able to use the control panel and holographic technology.

"Welcome to the Avalon, my friends." The hologram smiled at him. "I am sure you have a lot of questions, however please put on this ring first. This devise will allow you to separate temporarily. It would be better if we continue our conversation face to face." A platinum ring beamed into existence just as Morors spoke.

Daniel looked at the ring warily for a moment, shrugged and put the ring on his right index finger. He tried to focus on leaving the confining body. To his surprise it was much easier than he expected. He immediately found himself standing besides Harry in flesh, thankfully clothed, with only a effortless though in his mind.

"Now it is most unexpected! You and Sir Galahad look extremely alike." Moros exclaimed when he saw Daniel. ""

"Um…thanks, I guess." Daniel coughed to cover up his embarrassment. "I believe an introduction is needed. My name is Daniel Jackson, supposedly ascended but got stuck into a human body. This little fellow is Harry Potter, the unfortunate roommate of mine."

"Alas! The heir of my bloodline!" Merlin looked down at the small boy, eyes glinted with pleasure.

"Me?" Harry was taken back. "I thought it was Daniel!"

"Daniel is an ascended being but he was no relative of mine. It is you who have the gene of a Alterran." Merlin explained. "I believe that I am your great-great-great-many times-great grandfather on your father's side."

Two jaws dropped on the floor.

"How come no one claimed your heirship before?" Daniel wondered.

"I have to hide my descendants for fear that the Other might track them down. No magic could detect the compressed gene. In fact, without your ascended power Harry won't be able to claim my legacy either." He ran his fingers through his beard and smiled smugly for a moment, then changed the topic quickly. "Anyway, my power source is not enough to sustain me for long. Let me start my explanation first, then you could question me afterward."

"As you might know, there are two groups of ascending beings. The Alterans, or the Ancients, follow their rules of non-interference, while the Ori pose themselves as gods demanding worship from mortal beings. The Ori gain power via their followers and become stronger and stronger, yet the Others refuse to interfere as those who suffer are only in the lower plane. I have argued about this ridiculous rule with the Council but they never listened. And then, I started seeing visions of possible futures. Most of them end up badly. Only one of them, only one single future that I saw showed me a peaceful world with the Ori defeated."

Merlin paused and looked at them solemnly.

"Both of you are the keystones in that particular future, however the casualties are already too severe when you meet each other that half of this galaxy become wastelands. By bringing you back in time, I am trying to nudge the world toward a hopefully favorable direction."

"What do you mean 'bringing me back in time'?" Daniel asked in shock.

"About 10 years of time by my calculation," said Merlin in an innocent tone. "With a deviation of 2 to 3 years."

"Today is the First of August, Nineteen-Ninety-One." Harry told him.

"WHAT?"

"You might have gone a little bit further than necessary, but with limited resources I could only build a old model time-machine in the Arcade." Merlin sighed at the unbelievable look his guest threw at him. "The point is to prepare you for the hardship you will face. Of course more time is better."

"If the Ori is as powerful as the Other, it make no different if we prepare for a few more years!" Daniel said.

"The Ori in fact is more powerful than the Other. Their power is more aggressive and could override us if we are at similar power level. As an ascended being you will have no chance to fight an Ori." Merlin waved his hand at Harry and continued. "On the other hand, magic is the ambient energy drawn from the universe, the joining between you and Harry will harmonize each other and compensate the weakness in our nature."

"Isn't that the Ori outnumbered the Other even before they went different ways? What could I possibly do to resist them?"

"I had invented a weapon to destroy the Ori once and for all. However I have to hide it from the Others as they were in a fury about it. You will come here for a clue of its whereabouts when time comes. Before that, it is better to let it alone or else the Other might notice you."

"In short,' Daniel summarized. "You want us to combine our power, wait until the Ori come out from hiding, and then come back for a clue to find your weapon." It sounded less crazy when simplified into short sentences.

Merlin nodded

"Are you sure it would work?" Daniel looked skeptical. "I mean there are infinite futures. What if I do something wrong and destroy the world?"

"Just do your best." Merlin smiled gently. "In my visions, you never give up and you never stop trying. Don't forget your friends too. They would fight alongside with you until the end. Isn't it all the matter to you?"

Jack, Teal'c, Sam, Janet, General Hammond…Daniel smiled as he recalled his days in SGC. If they could kick big bad gou'ld butts like footballs, the Ori should not be a problem.

"Are you done speaking in riddle now?" Harry whined his annoyance. He felt so stupid when he heard every spoken word but understood none of them.

"Might be you could show him your memory?" Merlin suggested. He gave Daniel a metal helmet. "You could transfer memories into the device, and Harry could view it from your point of view. Time passes faster when he use the device, our conversation will be done by then."

It was essential for Harry to learn about the stargate, SGC and alien beings before Daniel could discuss with the boy. Daniel gathered and selected several representative memories from the first Abydos trip to his ascension, edited the bloody scenes carefully, and poured them into the device as per Merlin's instruction.

The adults left Harry alone to enjoy the sci-fi TV show and returned to their discussion.

"Ask your questions now, Daniel." Merlin urged him. "My time is running out."

"It's about the Other. I stopped sensing them since I've got here. Is it because I am in the past?" Daniel asked. The ascended beings connected with each other into a collective network and shared knowledge via the connection. The linkage was similar to that of a server and a computer. Being cut off from the ascended networks limited his knowledge, although it was already more than Sam would have dreamed of.

"The Council blocked you out when they sent you to confinement. You have to approach them to release the restraint." Merlin explained. "It also means that they cannot sense your location via the connection too. As long as you hide your power signature, no ascended being could find you anymore."

"Hide my signature?"

"Do not worry yourself. Although I spent most of my time on the weapon, I also studied magic at my leisure. Turned out that the combination of magic artifact and ancient technology was remarkably useful." Merlin said. "I have left you everything here for they are no use to me anymore. You would see them when my power is off."

"Harry and I." Daniel asked the question bothered him the most. "Are we joined for life?"

"Theoretically, yes." Merlin admitted. "The most powerful you are, the longer you could separate. Might be one day you only need to meet a few time per year and have a normal life."

They talked for another ten minutes. Then the hologram flared. The lively hologram turned into a emotionless image.

"Please notice that this interactive hologram will be shut down within 1 minutes. According to the current power level, it will sustain the illumination for 1409 hours. The control panel will also stop functioning after you leave. You are recommended to go through the information for the Instruction of future visits, user manual of Merlin devices, floor plan and co-ordination of this establishment, and the complete checklist of the King Arthur treasure"

The image finished his speech and vanished in a flash of light,and a mountain of treasire simultaneously beamed into the cavern, covering the ground with shiny gold and gleaming silver.

"Merlin bless me."

Harry pulled the helmet off his head an hour later. He had to blink quickly to adjust his eyesight. One second he was standing in the comfortably lighted SGC infirmary and the other second he was back in the dimly lighted carven. The memories he had witnessed were unbelievable, yet he knew they were all true.

Journey beyond the stars.

He turned around to look for his companion, and found the man bending over the control panel and reading the stone tablets. Harry didn't pay any attention to the treasure around his feet, he ran forward and threw himself to the man.

"Daniel! Can I join the SGC?"

Daniel recoiled, startled the bouncing child. It was not a well-known fact that Dr. Daniel Jackson was a sucker even bigger than Jack O'Neill for cute animals, innocent children and beautiful women. Thus, he melted instantly under the emerald puppy eyes.

"I have no objection to this idea." Daniel ruffled the raven hair. "You should think it over though. It won't be a easy life to join in the fight."

"But it is awesome!"

"We will talk when you are of age."

"Oh for crying out loud!"

I should have cut this part from the TV show! Daniel moaned.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※


	7. Chapter 7

(Disclaimer in chapter 1)

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

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Chapter 07

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[…Mental conversation…] "…Verbal conversation…" '…Thoughts…'

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**Somewhere, Someplace – August 1 1991, 14:51pm**

"Daniel, I found it. It should be the last one!"

Harry called out from the other side of the cavern, waving a gun-shaped object that small enough to fit in his palm. He hadn't even finished his sentence when a energy blast shoot off from between his fingers and ripped a notch in the cavern ceiling. A hail-like rain of rubble and chippings covered them gray within a minute.

"Ah Oh."

"Harry." Daniel rubbed his temple, trying to relieve the throbbing headache.

"Sorry…" the boy muttered, held out the gun to him with his fingers. "I'll be more careful next time."

"Please." Daniel snatched it out of his hand. "I'd prefer no next time at all."

He put it into a padded box along with other several items. So far it was the only weapon they had found, and Daniel did not expect to put it in use anytime soon, the same also applied to the personal shield disguised as a pendant. The other items were surprisingly for daily usages mostly, aka the Alterran version of household appliances.

"Please don't tell me this is a refrigerator." Harry picked up something that looked suspiciously like a mini Rubik Cube.

"Believe it or not, it is a kind of farming machinery." Daniel smirked at the disbelieved look. "The cubies position at each corners to define the effective area of a time dilation field. Time within the area will be many times faster than real time, which in returns will shorten the growing season."

"…You are pulling my leg, aren't you?"

"And this tiny little thing?" Daniel ignored the question and showed him a small emerald earring. "It is Alterrans version of a Halloween toy. Put it on your ear and you have a near-to-skin holographic projection upon your design." Quick as lighting, Daniel pressed it onto Harry's right earlobe.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Harry shrieked, tugged back, then puffed out his cheeks. But there was no pain. The earring merely stayed on there without actually pieced through his fresh.

"The concealer is going to rub off pretty soon, you had better keep it on you just in case." Daniel gave him a cheeky grin. "The earring suits your eyes, by the way."

They finished packing in no time. Daniel filled a large wooden chest with books and scrolls, while Harry filled another chest with things he found interesting. They decided to take a box of gems with them to see if the goblin were interested to trade.

Pushing the chests together, Daniel gave the cavern a final look before he turned to Harry. The boy was playing around with the stone tablets and looked at the changing images with a bored expression.

"Have you got everything? We won't be back for a few years." Daniel told him. "And when we come for the clue your grandfather hinted at, we probably need a transport ring."

"Why not come back the same way we did?" Harry asked.

"If we are going to show SGC the clue, we will have to explain how we get into a cavern half mile under the Glastonbury Tor." Daniel explained. How he hated policy and paperwork. He pulled out the side tray from the control panel and took out the crystal piece. "Anyway, let's get back to Lord Ragnok first."

"He might think we are dead already." Harry agreed.

They stood over the gathered chests and merged back as one. A beam of light washed over the cavern, returned it to the complete darkness and silence.

* * *

**Gringotts Bank – August 1 1991, 15:17pm**

Lord Ragnok was absorbed in a latest excavation report from the Egypt branch. The muggle antiques were worthless to goblin, thought the muggle government decided to exchange gold for them. Nothing pleased him more than a great businee.

"Ahem."

A cough from the doorway almost made the goblin lord jump out of his skin.

"Mr. Potter!" He spluttered at the surprise, and when he saw the suddenly appeared boy his eyes almost popped out of its sockets. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Well, I sort of took a short cut to the Merlin vault…"

"That's not what I mean!" Lord Ragnok interrupted him. "You didn't even left for more than a few hours! How come you manage to lose your magic?"

"Something did happened but I haven't lost my magic!" Harry protested.

"Then why can't I sense your magic signature?" Lord Ragnok urged for an answer. "Goblins are born with ability to sense every magical creatures, not even a potion or a spell could have fool us!"

"Well…" Harry showed him the platinum ring on his finger hesitantly. "I found this in the Merlin Vault, and it hides the wearer's power signature."

"Why did you wear it then?" Lord Ragnok obviously was confounded.

"Someone seems to be very interested in my whereabouts, I don't want to have my tail followed anymore." Daniel gave the goblin lord a half-truth. It was only the Other they needed to keep away from, but keeping Dumbledore out of their way too definitely would be another plus.

"I think it is more trouble than it's worth. A spell or a potion could counter tracking spells easily, concealing magic signature completely only perplexes the issue!" Lord Ragnok shook his head at the foolhardy action. He contemplated for sometime before looked sharply at Harry in the eyes.

"Goblins do not muddle wizards' business, but of course, we will make an exception for the Heir of Merlin." He eyed the small boy and asked carefully. "Tell me Mr. Potter. Are you going to leave the wizarding world to live as a muggle, or are you going to stay but forge a fake identity?"

"I haven't figured it out yet. Does it matter?" Harry shrugged. Yesterday he was trilled to go to Hogwarts, today he dreamed of becoming a SG team member. Who knows what tomorrow might bring forth.

"As the largest wizarding bank in the world, we Gringotts take the most secured measures to prevent any forgery or counterfeit. Experience perfects everything. That is to say, these experts have become the best falsifiers you could possibly find." Lord Ragnok was almost gloating with a smirk on his face. "We could make Harry Potter disappear and reborn as a new wizard. We could even forge you a muggle identity, if that is what you want."

[That would be great!] Daniel said. [The ring can generate a holographic disguise. With a new face and no magical signature, you can pretend anyone.]

[At least Dumbledore won't bother me anymore.] Harry loved this idea too. [I probably need a new muggle identity too. The Dursleys still have my custody.]

Evan Jason Peverell was hence born into the world.

* * *

**Headmaster Office, Hogwarts - August 1 1991, 19:05pm **

"Good Evening, Professor McGonagall. I hope your day is well." Albus Dumbledore sat at the dining table, greeting her and reached for the baked potatos. "How is the student admission going?"

"I have visited eight muggleborns for orientation, but one of them decided to decline our invitation. The Ministry have already sent in a Obliviator just as we speak." Professor McGonagall reported dutifully. "We have 32 first years in total, not including Harry Potter." She paused and looked at the headmaster sternly. "I have not received any reply from his relatives yet. It had been over a week since the invitation letter had been sent! Don't tell me the son of Lily and James is not going to attend Hogwarts!"

"Worry not, my dear professor." Dumbledore chuckled. "Hagrid succeed in locating Mr. Potter yesterday and have introduced him to our world already. The Dursleys might not be very happy at the moment, but nevertheless Harry Potter will join us this year."

"Hagrid? Introduce our world?" The frown on her face spoke volumes about her displeasure. "I would be surprised if Harry know how to get into Platform 9-3/4!"

"I will take care of everything, you will see him before the sorting ceremony." The Headmaster gave her a comforting smile.

"If you are so sure…" Professor McGonagall let the topic go hesitatingly.

They finished their meal in silence and retired to the sitting room enjoying the night together. The school was mostly desert during summer time and it was getting lonely to have so few companions in a large castle. At one time Dumbledore tried to invite the resident teachers for a private dinner, sadly except McGonagall most were not good conversationalists. After spending an imaginative night with the Divination professor, he limited his invitation to selected few.

They sat on the armchairs in front of the fireplace, settled down for a chess game and made some small talk.

"I received a letter from the Gringotts Bank this afternoon." The Transfiguration Professor said as she took a bishop with her knight. "Lord Ragnok wish to meet with me about a late admission in the coming school year."

"Of a goblin?" Dumbledore asked. One white brow rose in puzzlement.

"The letter was brief," She shrugged. "But he did mention that the child was a ward of one of their prime human employee."

"And who is this child?"

McGonagall thought for a moment.

"Peverell." she said. "Evan Jason Peverell."

She never noticed how the old headmaster frozen with disbelief.

"I will meet them in Gringotts to discuss in detail tomorrow. I intend to give him his invitation letter right away if everything goes well."

When she noticed the old man's lack of action, she tapped on his hand worried.

"Albus? Are you alright?"

He shook himself out of shock and smiled at her tiredly.

"My age might finally catch up with me. I think I had better call it a day."

McGonagall gave him a worry look but left without saying anything.

'Now it is interesting.' Albus Dumbledore stared into the fireplace and started to brood.

McGonagall might not aware of the significance of the Peverell family, Dumbledore otherwise tried over a hundred years earlier to reunite the 3 heirlooms of said story of Deathly Hallows was not widely known except the Hallows seekers. and even fewer people knew the three brothers in the story were in fact the Peverell brothers.

He had manged to win the Elder Wand from Grindelwald and borrowed Cloak of Invisibility from James Potter before he died, and when he find the Resurrection Stone, he would be the first wizard in over a thousand years to own all three of the Hallows.

'How it's possible to have a living Peverell when all historical records stated the line ended in 13th century. Not even Grindelwald with his spy network had heard anything about the Peverell.'

"It must be just a coincidence." He mused aloud, as if to convict himself.

* * *

AN: A short chapter, I know.

AN2: About the Ori power vs Ascended power thing? Well, I have some theories:

Without any outside influence, and as an individual, an ascended being can manipulate ambient energy and thus is more power than a Ori, who only contain their inner energy.

However, after adding the factor of the will power / life force from Ori followers, an Ori can overpower an ascended being as long as they get enough followers.

Ori fanatics provide energy via their excessive loyalty, enthusiasm to scarify, fierceness to fight, to the God. The energy reflects its source's emotion, and is more aggressive than natural energy, which is the source of ascended power.

Nevertheless, this theory doesn't really matter because the ascended beings have no big role in my story plots. (Except a few selected one) The mighty glowy club would only watch Stargate SG1 on their TVs and do nothing after all.


	8. Interlude

Appearance

The hair-stylist had his hair trimmed, layered and shortened into stylish spikes and even picked his eyebrows to make them neater. Daniel picked up a few set of causal clothes for him and changed the broken frame of his glasses into a thin silver one. (He got a new pair with accurate prescription but it won't be ready for a week.) When he stood in front of a mirror he now saw a complete stranger. When he used the Alterrans earring to cover his scars, turned his eye blue and made some minor change in his facial feature, he wondered if he would scare himself when he walked pass a mirror at night.

Backpacking

Harry learned of his country from History classes, but he had never joined in any school trips on the subject to saw it himself. When Daniel saw him eyes widen in awe by Westminster Abbey, the older man believed a backpacking trip was in order.

He learned how to swim in Brighton, had his first spa in Bath, rode his first bike along the Taff Trail, met his first ghost in Edinburgh Castle, saw his first football game in Manchester, and after 3 weeks wondering around the country, he took his first plane back to London for the Notting Hill Carnival.

The only place he avoided like plague was Surrey. He had spent enough time there to last him a lifetime.

Cambridge

Cambridge was out too, since the 26 years old Daniel Jackson had been working as an associate professor in the University until 2 years later, they must avoid the area at all costs in case of messing the timeline.

Deputy Headmistress

The professor blushed nicely when Daniel told her "Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom" with a shy smile. She answered every question the adorable boy threw at her and offered him a list of reference book to initiate him into wizarding world. She only remembered her mission to question Mr. Peverell thoroughly when Dumbledore asked for her report.

Evan Jasoon Peverell

As the only son of Clara Peverell nee Jones and Antioch Lancelot Peverell, Evangelos Jason Peverell was born on 31 August 1980 in a muggle hospital at Jacksonville of United States. The family returned to British shortly after the Dark Lord fell, and was attacked by a group of rogue deatheaters on 6 November 1981. The couple was killed instantly while the baby barely survived an unknown dark curse that left him a squib.

With no other living relative, Evan was sent to live with his appointed guardian Dr. Michael Shanks, a family friend and a muggleborn worked for Gringotts in Egypt. Evan was raised as a muggle and had never been told of magic and wizarding world.

It was only after his first burst of accidental magic a few days ago people found out that the dark curse only blocked his magical signature but not destroyed his magic.

Forgery

It was surprisingly easy to forge a fake identity with a little bit of magic and a decent hacker, although how the hell the goblin managed to hire one still remained a mystery to them.

Guardian

Dr. Michael Shanks signed his signature twice under the calculating eyes of Lord Ragnok on the same day: one contract to claim the guardianship over one Mr. Evan Jason Peverell, and the other contract to forfeit his legal right as a guardian of the aforesaid person.

He went back Egypt after a brief interview with Professor McGonagall, a set of muggle legal documents in his briefcase, and 10000 Galleons safely credited to his Gringotts vault.

Homecoming

Harry had to stand in a queue in order to get into his family house, as the Potter cottage was the major sightseeing spot in Godric's Hollow. The cottage was blown apart on the second floor with most of the remaining area sealed from access, visitors crowded the narrow hall pointing here and there and exclaimed loudly in excited voices how the Potters lived and died to save the world. He glazed over the ruin but remembered nothing of his parents, began to regret bitterly ever visiting here. But later that night, when Daniel presented him a photo album he had sneaked out of the house unnoticed, Harry was very thankful. Fingering the photo longingly, he finally knew what his parents looked like.

**Interlude**

Jian

Jian was a mythical bird supposed to have only one eye and one wing. They only soared in pairs, dependent on each other and inseparable.

Mr. Ollivander might be puzzled over the two Jian feathers in one wand core, Daniel and Harry on the other hand understood the implication perfectly.

Kodak

They spent quite a lot on the films for Kodak moments and to have them developed. Daniel hoped digital camera would be invented soon.

Lullaby

Every now and then nightmare would come. Sometimes he faced the rage from Uncle Vernon, sometimes he saw strange green lights flashing in front of his eyes. He never screamed nor whispered but Daniel always knew when he woke up. The older man didn't push him to talk but hugged him close, humming a lovingly song to lure them both back to sleep.

It was an old Abydos lullaby to chase away monsters from newborn babies. Sha're taught it to Daniel after they visited the village doctor a few week before Apophis came and stole Sha're away.

Magical Signature

Without a magical signature, no owl or magical creature will be able to locate them. Only Lord Ragnok and Dr. Shanks could contact them via the goblin-enchanted mailbox. Albus Dumbledore really should stop trying to send him tea invitation, or else he would soon have a bunch of striking school owl bombing him with owl shit.

Nutrition

In order to get rid of malnutrition and break his stuffed-then-staved eating habit, Daniel monitored Harry's diet and dietary manner like a hawk watching its prey. Eat slowly, chew before swallow, and sip water between bites. It took a while for Harry to get used to the idea of regular meals and a content stomach, and it took even longer to instill the health-eating concept in him. A couple of weeks couldn't fully undone the damage to his body caused by years of mistreat, but Harry managed to gain a few pounds and an inch.

Occlumency

All Daniel did was visualized a stargate and a DHD. Everything else was hidden at the other end of the wormhole, which would be connected only if the seven chevrons address from Abydos to Earth was dialed correctly.

If a team of top scientists failed to crack its secret in two whole years, a stick-waving wizard surely won't have a chance.

PhDs

Daniel explained that although PhD standed for "Doctor of Philosophy" it did not mean that one have to study Philosophy to get one. Harry didn't really pay attention to the very thorough introduction of academic qualification system, except the part that as a civilian he needed at least one PhD to be accepted by SGC.

Harry was no prodigy but he was much smarter than he let on, he had a personal tutor with three PhDs working 24-7 (thankfully free of charge), and he never minded heavy workload and even enjoyed reading. Getting a PhD won't be a problem, deciding on a field otherwise was a pain. Physicist, astrophysicist, engineer, archaeologist or linguistician…Harry had a headache just from trying to understand what these titles meant.

Anyway there was still time though, even GCSE and A-level were years away. For the time being he needed only to savor his childhood. Career and profession could wait for anther five years or so.

Quill

The novelty of writing with a quill passed rapidly. He threw his first tantrum when Daniel insisted him to keep practicing. The older man never lost patience with him and showed him all tricks of trimming, gripping, dipping and writing with a quill, but the first thing Harry did next morning was running like hell to the nearest stationary shop for all sorts of muggle supplies. He might have to use a quill for his assignments, but he refused to give up the wonder of ball pens and notebooks further in note taking.

Rich

They had no use of gems or silverwares or gold, and Goblin had no use of muggle money. Putting his diplomatic and linguistic abilities in use, Daniel cleaned up the muggle currency reserve from Gringotts at an exchange rate of 7 pounds to 1 galleon. Not that the goblins minded it terribly as it was an undeniably win-win situation, they just felt glum to be bested by a eleven years old wizard in a business negotiation. If words got out, their reputation would be crushed.

Shopaholic

When Daniel made some comments about Hogwarts without a school store, Harry retorted that said school was a traditional English one and had no business to coffee. Both paled once they realized they would be cut off from muggle world for months. They ended up in Tesco and left with three carts of snacks and drinks.

Daniel whined at his Maxwell instant coffee for days until he figured out that time dilation field could block out any magic interference. He set up the time dilation field in their secret room within their trunk in record time and built a power converter to power up electric appliances with Ancient control crystal.

Coffee machine became the first item on their new shopping list.

Trunk

When Lord Ragnok gifted him a muggle trolleycase with a complete set of enchantments, allowing him a master bedroom inside and a way to fool customs x-ray machine, Daniel reminded him that flattery and politeness always worked wonder.

Urchin

Considering there were some sickening nicknames like Ickle Diddykins, popkin and Dinky Duddydums existing in the world, he could see no grounds to complain about it.

Vampire

Vampire was real. Buffy was not. Daniel the closet fanboy was so disappointed.

Wraith

Daniel discovered the wraith purely by accident. He was sweeping around the mindscape before he started on the occlumency practice, and he ran into the hiding wraith like figure in a corner at the very back of the mind. The wraith radiated evil and malice like body heat. For a moment Daniel mistook it as Anubis and his breath caught in his chest as fear washed over him. He came around a second later and chased after its tail. He caught up in no time and had a short but brutal fighting with it.

Although he banished the wraith with raw ascending power, the head-on collision still left Harry a painful headache like a nail hammered in his skull.

Daniel only realized the significance of this incident some years later, as he came across a brief description of horcrux in an extremely rare ancient tome.

Xenoglossia

Or something liked that.

During one of their occlumency sessions, Daniel demonstrated how to compartmentalize memories and knowledge in a systematical way by copying some of his memories and knowledge into Harry's mindscape. Some days later, Harry found himself listening to the conversation between Daniel and a girl in Spanish and understood it. He didn't master the language right away, but as he processed the memory Daniel gifted him and committed it to his own memory, his fluency and vocabulary became better.

Daniel was thrilled to share knowledge with him, and had included language lessons in their daily routine. It would take Harry months of practices before he perfected Spanish. Latin was the next on his study list.

Yellow Pages

Harry found thousands of Harry and hundreds of Potters in the phonebook.

Daniel told him he only knew one Harry Potter.

**Zero Hour**


	9. Y1: The Hogwarts Express

Title: "One Plus One Equals One "  
Rating: PG-13 for now, may go up to R later. Genfic.

Disclaimer: Honestly, I own nothing. Don't sue.  
Summary: Daniel descended as a 11 years old Harry Potter…well, sort of.

Inspirited by Corwalch's "Two Shall Be As One", diverged as Daniel went back a bit further.

* * *

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

**Y1: The Hogwarts Express**

10 minutes or so before the scheduled departure time, the platform was jam-packed and buzzing of people and noise. Parents were doubt-checking everything and Children were dodging hugs and kisses. It took one extreme loud crash resulting in two overturned luggage trolleys and three entangled bodies to drive their attentions toward the platform barrier.

When it was revealed that the smallest boy had a lightening scar on his forehead, the incident turned into a serious disturbance.

The fallen boy was not back on his feet yet before being surrounded by the excited crowd. They kept trying to get closer for a good look at their favorite hero, then they scrambled for a handshake with the young celebrity, and when the first punch landed on someone's nose, chaos immediately became a riot.

"Better you than me." Harry had to bit back his giggles as he took in the messy mob scene from the carriage window. Although their telepathy stopped working when they were apart, he could still sense the frustration and annoyance coming from the older man through their metal link. When Daniel mentioned a grand entrance, he obviously had underestimated the popularity of the eleven years old boy hero and got flattened under a pile of overexcited fans as a result.

His two new friends also joined him at the window when the noise became louder. It was more interesting to see the adults literally tearing each other's hair out than comparing the family background, after all.

"Oh Merlin!" Neville Longbottom gasped. "Is that Harry Potter?" He pointed at the small boy squashed in the crowd. He couldn't see the famous scar from afar, but the crowd was chanting their hero's name as if saying a prayer.

"Merlin what?" Dean Thomas blinked at him blankly. "Harry who?"

"Harry Potter! The boy who lived!"

"You nickname someone because he is alive? I don't know living is a rare occurrence to wizards." Harry replied dryly.

"He is our hero! Everyone knows about him!" Neville looked astonished when he realized his new friends were completely ignorant of the famous wonder boy. "Harry Potter defeated the dark lord when he was a baby, and he is the only known survivor of the Killing Curse!" He proceeded to tell them the version favored by young wizards about a fateful and action-packed Halloween night, which, to the best of Harry's knowledge, was little more than a sheer fiction. A one-year-old toddler could never reduce a dark lord into a pile of ash with a blast of accidental magic aiming at his genitals.

Harry turned his attention back to the platform. The fighting went on without anyone dared to interfere. Then, all of a sudden, the train controller jumped out from his control cab, throwing a bunch of spells around and snarling murder at them for causing undue delay. Only when they all cringed and shrank away that he strode across the platform to the seemingly frightened boy.

"Shame on you!" the old man glared at the crowd and spat. He helped the boy gathered his trunk and led him onto the train. The train whistled a few minutes later, but it was already fifteen minutes behind schedule. It jolted into movement and pulled out of the station slowly. Harry and his two companions looked at the passing scene in silence, as the train rounded a corner, they could no longer see the platform and its waving crowd.

It suddenly hit Harry that they were heading into a new and unknown future, and he had a lot more to worry about than a normal student had. Eventually, a feeling of comforting warmth shook Harry out of his anxiety, like a small child tugged at his sleeve asking for attention, reminding him he was not alone along the way.

"Anyway, about this sorting thing." Harry turned to the other boys. "Do you know how would it done? I asked my guardian but he only smiled that annoying secret smile."

"My grand didn't tell me either." Neville sighed. "Might be it is a tradition to keep it secret from the first year."

"I only hope it won't be a test." said Dean. "I tried some spells in the school books but only managed a easy one. I will screw up for sure if they ask me to pull a rabbit out of a hat."

"Nah, it's advanced level transfiguration work." Harry assured him. "At most they'd tell you to turn it pink or shrink it or something."

"You are not helping." Dean groaned. Neville whispered weakly at his side.

"You know." Harry smirked. "We could just throw the hat at the headmaster. Such bravery will get us in Gryffindor for sure."

"Or the fastest expulsion in the history of Hogwarts." Dean snorted. "I prefer a proper sorting, thank you very much."

They threw in more stupid ideas about the coming sorting and laughed themselves silly. Then their conversation moved on to their families, which, for some reasons, none of them was very very forthcoming. Neville grew up with his grand and mentioned nothing about his parents, Harry lie his ass off on his upbringing in a country he had never visited. Dean had a happy childhood and a happy family, but he learned of his runaway biological father the day he received his Hogwarts letter, and that his mother suspected his missing father to be a wizard.

What a mass, Harry suppressed a grimace, truly and utterly. He asked Neville about quidditch to keep the mood from turning sour. Neville was not very keen in the sport, but he welcomed distraction nevertheless. He didn't even bother to conceal his relieved expression as he started a quidditch crash course.

Lunchtime soon rolled around. There was a tap on the door and it slid open. A food trolley stopped at the middle of the corridor and the old lady stood behind it smiled at them kindly.

"Anything sweet for you, dears?" she asked, indicated to the varied items on the trolley.

"A box of Every Flavor Beans, two chocolate frogs, and a licorice wand please." Neville placed his order quickly. It cost him six silver Sickles and nine bronze Knuts.

Harry had no idea what these sweets were, and he had a full supply of muggle snacks hidden in his suitcase already, so he only picked out the weirdest looking items from the trolley to satisfy his curiosity, and a bottom of pumpkin juice so that he could wash down anything that tasted horrible. Though he yelped and threw the bag of Cockroach Cluster back to the trolley when Neville told him it apparently was REAL cockroach. The trolley lady was still snickering as she slid the door shut behind her.

"Please don't tell me it is a real frog." Dean eyed the tiny box of Chocolate Frog with suspicion.

"It is just a animation spell." Neville opened a box and caught the chocolate frog before it could jump out of his reach. He bit off its head and showed them the transected body. "But see! All chocolate."

"Wicked!" Dean grinned at the struggling frog and its quivering legs.

"And each box has a Famous Wizard Card." Neville pulled a card out of the empty box. "Morgana again, I have five already. Do you want to keep it?"

Harry thanked him and took the card. On one side there was a picture of a witch waving and smiling. On the other side the framed character was described in a short paragraph:

**Morgan le Fay**  
Bird Animagus  
Medieval, dates unknown  
Also known as Morgana. She was King Arthur's half sister and a dark sorceress. She was an enemy of Merlin and manipulated many events during her time. She ruled the island of Avalon as Queen and had great skill as a healer.

"Neville, what is an animagus?" Harry asked.

"An animagus is someone who can turn into a animal at his will." Neville said. "It is very useful but difficult to learn. Not everyone could become one. That's why we only have a handful of them nowadays."

"Um…" Harry filed the information away and ate some more sweets. It was a awesome idea, he would take with Daniel about it later.

Eating and chatting could only hold their interests for so long. As the hours passed they played a few games of Exploding Snap to pass time, though they had to stop abruptly after poor Trevor, the pet toad of Neville, jumped into the card house they built with Exploding Snap cards and got toasted in the violent explosion.

"At least it can't escape now." Neville bandaged it up with a handkerchief. "I will owl-order some potions for him later."

Around five thirty the sky began to darken, the lamp overhead lit up after a few flicker. Neville looked up from the chessboard. "I think we are nearly there."

"Yeah, nearly there." Dean murmured and moved his pawn. "Checkmate in 3 moves."

"We had better change into our robes." Harry put down his novel and stretched. "And I really need to piss, or I will wet myself in public if the sorting take too long." He made a short trip to a washroom nearby. When he came back, Dean and Neville had changed already and were cleaning up their mess. Harry took off his jacket to pull on the black school robe and helped them to separate unopened sweets from empty boxes.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." The train conductor announced in a bored voice.

It was a few minutes past six when the train slowed down and pulled into a dark, narrow platform. People started to pour out of the train as soon as the train stopped. The older students all walked in the same direction and out of the platform in no time. Harry was wondering whether they should follow them, then a loud voice called out from the front of the platform, a big lamp waving in the air as if it was greeting them.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" The huge man smiled at the children friendly, but his smile made his big hairy face even scarier. Neville and a few others swallowed loudly, and they seemed afraid to approach him. Hagrid called out twice again, until he had a dozens of first years gathered around him. He looked around intently before his eyes landed on a boy standing next to Dean.

"Hello Harry, all right there?"

Everyone sucked in their breath sharply and turned to stare at the famous boy hero. Harry Potter nodded at Hagrid but said nothing, clearly feeling uncomfortable under the stares.

Hagrid coughed loudly twice to conceal his embarrassment. "C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

They left the platform and walked down a steep rocky path. It was too dark to see where they were heading or their steps, Harry had to grab tight on Neville's arm to keep him from slipping, Dean remained close by just in case. The three of them fell behind a little but not too far. The path ended abruptly at the edge of a great lake, its water dark and calm. At the opposite end there stood a beautiful castle glistening with candles under the starry sky. The children stared at it in awe.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid broke the moment with a yell, pointing at the little boats waiting by the shore. Harry got into a boat after Neville and Dean, sat at the back row.

Just as he sat down, a familiar sense of warmth wrapped around him like a blanket and slipped into him. He couldn't help but grinned. [Daniel, how was your day?]

[Marvelous.] Daniel grumbled.

[If these people bothered you so much, why didn't you come to find me?]

[And bring a troop of stalkers along?] Daniel explained. [I have people beating down the door every few minutes to shake my hand and ask to see the scar, and the worst thing is they kept coming back! They didn't even introduce themselves!] He was almost sulking, as if it was the greatest insult in the world.

The fleet of little boats sailed across the lake silently and entered an underground harbor, where they hit the shore and jolted to a stop. The air was cold and humid, the children shiveringly hurried down the pebbled path. It took them a while to reach the passageway, which led them to the huge oak front door of Hogwarts Castle.

Hagrid banged on the door three times. The door shook then swung open. Professor McGonagall stood there, obviously had been waiting for them.

"Thank you, Hagrid." Professor McGonagall glazed over the children. "I will take them from here." She turned around and walked inside, the first years followed closely. The entrance hall was large and sufficiently lit. Harry saw a closed door at the right, but the professor took them to a small chamber off the hall instead.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall gave a welcome speech to explain the sorting ceremony and the house point system. After reminding them to tide up, she left to check on the arrangement.

"She seems strict." Dean muttered. Neville nodded fiercely.

"She is strict." Harry corrected him. "But nice. Professor McGonagall is the one who gave me the invitation letter, and she didn't mind to answer my questions. A lot of questions." Dean opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, his mouth shut with a loud snap when a chorus of scream tried to deafen him.

"What the hell?" Harry turned around just in time to see some whitey half-transparent figures filed in through the back wall. Harry blinked at the shiny ghosts, totally unmoved, yet extremely curious.

[Do you think they are real?] Harry was itching to give it a poke. It so happened that a ghost was floating in front of him, just within his arm's reach.

[I don't know. I have met a real ghost in the first place. Hey, put down your finger!] Poking was a tempting but terribly rude idea. Daniel had to kick the boy mentally to stop him.

Twenty or so ghosts filled the chamber with chatters and a shivering chill, focused on each other and ignored the children at their feet. Finally one of them noticed them. "What are you all doing here?"

"We are waiting for the sorting ceremony." Harry replied politely and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"A little gentleman!" the Fat Friar beamed at him and made a motion to shake his hand. The whitey hand went right through, leaving a trail of goose pimples as if cold water washed over him. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff, that was my old house, you know."

"Move along now," Professor McGonagall said sharply. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to

start." She told the first years to form a line and follow her. Harry stood behind Dean and Neville at the very end of the line, suddenly feeling nervous.

As Professor McGonagall pushed open a pair of double doors, the Great Hall came into sight.

* * *

Next chapter: the sorting

AN: Many thanks for the reviews! Your suppoprt is my motivation.

AN2: Which house should Harry go?


	10. Y1: The Sorting Crap

Title: "One Plus One Equals One "

Rating: PG-13 for now, may go up to R later. Genfic.

Disclaimer: Honestly, I own nothing. Don't sue.

Summary: Daniel descended as a 11 years old Harry Potter…well, sort of.

Inspirited by Corwalch's "Two Shall Be As One", diverged as Daniel went back a bit further.

* * *

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

**Y1: The Sorting Crap**

Hundreds of eyes followed the first years through the double door to the front of the Great Hall where the teachers were sitting and watching them like some hunting hawks. The intensive attention did no good to comfort the children. When Professor McGonagall made them to line up facing the students, even the most attention-seeking kid had to pretend looking at the bewitched ceiling in order to distract oneself from a nervous breakdown.

Harry envied them.

As beautiful as the great hall was, it was no much difference from other muggle castles around the country. The novelty wore off pretty quickly after he stepped into it. He tried to focus on the starry ceiling, but his mind kept wondering back to the old headmaster sitting right behind him. Harry only caught a glimpse of the creepy old man before he turned his back, but the purple robe hurt his eyes, and the grandfatherly smile reminded him their last meeting. Harry only hoped what they had done would serve to divert suspicion from them, or things would be VERY ugly when their cover was blown.

[How fast can you get me out of here again?] Harry asked.

[Say the word and we will be in London in a blink.] Daniel assured him. [Come on, the sorting is going to begin.]

Truth to his word, Professor McGonagall brought out a four-legged stool and a dirty pointed hat. She set them down and moved aside. After a moment of silence, the hat twisted to open a mouth and song:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

……………….."

…………

……

It was more like a poem with rhythm than a song, not terribly composed and quite informative. Unfortunately the hat appeared to be tone-deaf. [How could a hat sing without a vocal cord anyway?] Harry grimaced.

Lucky for all, the song soon came to an end. Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long scroll. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted."

"Abbott, Hannah!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The sorting went on. Neville Longbottom became a Gryffindor. He was so relieved that he ran off with the hat still on his head. Two-thirds of the first years had been sorted when "Peverell, Evangelos" was called.

Harry took a deep breath and sat on the stool. The hat sunk straight down, its brim touching his nose. He saw only darkness, and smelled something musty and damp.

[Do you think it has fleas?] Harry wrinkled his nose in distaste. [My head is itchy!]

[No, that's not flea. It is the Sorting Hat.] Daniel paused. [It is searching for your memory. Might be this is how it match a student with one of the houses.] He trailed off again. Harry could feel his gentle touch fumbling around in his mindscape. Daniel explained as he copied a few memories and placed them outside of their occlumency haven. [We have to let it see some memories or it may ask question, I will shield your mind in case you think of something sensitive.]

[All right.] Harry agreed. He focused on the sorting hat, and suddenly he could hear a small voice murmuring inside of his head.

[Interesting. It's rare to see someone so young with a mind so organized.] The voice sounded interested and delighted. [A clever and curious mind, and so much courage to support your quest for truth and knowledge! Oh, don't forget your loyalty to your family and friends, fiercely so! You even want to follow your guardian's footstep to be a muggle archaeologist, don't you? Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. You could fit in anyone of them, but where should I put you?]

[It really doesn't matter. I just want to enjoy school.] Harry shrugged. [And make friends.] He added, thinking of his lonely days in primary school. For the first time of his life there was no Dudley to ruin his reputation, he was determined to have a taste of true friendship.

[Bad experience of bullying...I see then. You will be best taken care of in HUFFLEPUFF!]

A great cheer went up from the Hufflepuff table. Harry beamed at the welcoming faces and bounced to join the other first years at the end of the long table. Gryffindor table was the one next to them, Neville met his eyes with a big grin. However, their attentions were pulled back to the sorting when Professor McGonagall announced the next name.

"Potter, Harry!"

A rash of excited whispers broke out in the hall. Everyone was craning to see their famous hero, even the teachers sat straight up alertly. They waited and waited, but no one came forth.

Professor McGonagall pursed her lips sternly and turned to the remaining first years. She seemed a bit taken aback when she realized there were only four children left. Her eyes skipped over the girl and two black boys, and landed on the boy with red hair.

"Mr. Harry Potter?"

The boy shook his head fiercely as if he was terrified by the through. "No…I, I, I'm Ron, Ronald Weasley!" He managed to stutter.

By now people all realized something had gone wrong, they stared at the fidgeting children in confusion, and the four kids stared back with frightened eyes.

After a while, Dean Thomas stepped up. "Professor, I think he is not here." He said nervously.

"What do you mean he is not here?" Professor McGonagall barked, demanding an explanation.

"Obviously none of us here is Harry Potter." The girl spoke up impatiently.

"Oh no!" Hagrid jumped up suddenly, his chair fell backward with a loud thud. "The boys are right, Harry is not here! How is it possible? He was at the Hogsmeade Station, I saw him with my own eyes!"

The panicky buzz flooded over the Hall was getting louder and louder. It became quite difficult to hear who was saying what over the hubbub.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore stood up and roared. All noises ceased abruptly.

"It seems that Mr. Potter has unfortunately misplaced himself. We will send someone to bring him back." The Headmaster nodded to Hagrid, the huge man nodded back and left hurriedly. "At the moment, we shall proceed with the sorting. Please continue, Professor McGonagall."

The Professor complied reluctantly, but neither she nor the students were paying much attention. Whenever the hat shouted out a house, they clapped politely but lack of enthusiasm. Dean Thomas was sorted into Gryffindor, the girl Lisa Turpin joined Ravenclaw, Ronald Weasley went to Gryffindor, much to Daniel's relief, and the sorting ended with "Zabini, Blaise," who was made a "Slytherin".

Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet again. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Please enjoy the feast!" As he sat back down, foods and drinks appeared out of thin air and covered the tables.

The old students blinked blankly, all were shocked by the fact that the Headmaster had just finished the speech in two sentences, and no strange remark had been given at all.

"He must be quite shaken up." A Third year Hufflepuff boy told them. "Dumbledore always spews nonsense along his speech. This one is too normal that it's abnormal. I'm Cedric Diggory, by the way. Come on, have a pie!"

Harry took a piece off the plate as a polite gesture and started eating. The first years started introducing themselves between bites, all of them looked friendly and easygoing. Hufflepuff got the least first years this year, which Cedric waived it off as nothing unusual. The group contained three girls and four boys, including one pureblood, one muggleborn, four half-blood, and one muggle-raised.

"What do you mean by muggle-raised?" Ernie asked.

"I am a half blood wizard, but I am raised as a muggle since my parents passed away." Harry explained. "I don't even know I am a wizard until this summer. Obviously someone cased a dark curse on me and made my magical signature disappeared. My guardian thought I had been turned into a squib, but we figured it out when I turned his hair blue. It definitely was magic, because shampoo didn't help him a bit. The color stayed a whole week."

They laughed and began to share their stories of accidental magic. Time seemed to have slipped away when they were busy laughing. Foods were cleared out and replaced by desserts. Harry ate an apple crisp, and Daniel had a chocolate éclair. No one except their full stomach noticed their brief exchange.

It wasn't long before the banquet finished. Professor Dumbledore stood and opened his arms wide as a signal for silence.

"I understand many of you are feeling tired now, so I will keep the start-of-term notices as short as possible." Dumbledore recited some school rules and Quidditch trials, and then his tone changed into a secretive one. "And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

A few students laughed but Harry didn't find it amusing. [What kind of school this is to keep a place so dangerous in a corridor and inform everyone its location?] He blurted out. Some mischievous students, most likely included him if he wasn't so wary of the headmaster, bound to view it as a challenge. How could the teenagers resist the lure of adventure?

[Might be that is exactly what he want.] Daniel commented. [To lure someone into a trap or something. You'd better stay away from there.]

"Now, second years or above are dismissed. Fifth year prefects and all first years please stay behind." Headmaster announced.

Harry noticed many students looked relieved. Cedric noticed his questioning look and grinned. "Dumbledore forgot the damn school song." He whispered. "If you have sensitive ears, you should thank Merlin for the mercy." He ruffled Harry's hair and ran off to catch up with his friends.

"Hufflepuff students, please follow me." A mid-aged witch with gray hair came up and walked them to the High Table. "I am Professor Pomona Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff house and your Herbology teacher. Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with all of you and ask some questions, please answer him honestly."

They assembled in front of the High Table. Dumbledore inspected them behind his half-round glasses and nodded his thanks to the professors. "You might have noticed that Mr. Potter didn't show up for the sorting," he said somberly. "I would need any information you can provide. Does anyone have personal contact with Mr. Potter today?"

Ron spoke up reluctantly. "My family met him at the muggle side of the Platform. He asked for the direction of Platform nine and three quarters, and he went through after my twin brothers." His face suddenly turned a scarlet shade of red. "They…er…they crashed into each other…" Most of the first years chuckled or giggled at his embarrassment, obviously they had all witnessed the impressive entrance and the chaos followed. Daniel scowled when Harry laughed along remembering his embarrassed predicament.

"And then there was a fight. The train conductor had to save him from the crowd and brought him back to the train. I found him in the last compartment and spent the rest of the trip together. Loads of people came to see him. " Ron was visibly deflated as he continued. "He went to the washroom just before the train stopped. I lost him after that."

[He offered to help me in the washroom for god's sake!] Daniel snorted. [As if I don't know how to wipe…] Harry had to bite his lower lips hard to keep from laughing out loud.

"We saw him on the platform when Hagrid came to collect us. He was standing right beside me." Dean looked around for affirmation, and they all nodded their agreement. "I don't remember seeing him after that."

"Did anyone share a boat with him? Or saw him walking away?" Dumbledore urged, the answers again were negative.

The teacher stood with Slytherin students spoke in his oily voice. "It seems to me that frame is not enough for our little celebrity, clearly Potter determine to ask for more attention by pulling a disappearance act!" A curtain of greasy black hair fell over his cheek, but Harry could still see the malicious pleasure on the man's face.

"Professor Snape!" Dumbledore frowned at him. Snape sneered in return but kept his mouth shut.

Decided that it was all he could get from the first years, Dumbledore sent them off to their dormitories. The children were heading to the oak door just as it was banged open.

"I can't find him!" Hagrid burst in and tramped across the Hall. "No one in Hogsmeade has seen him. I have checked the ground, the lake and even the edge of the forest, but I found no trail of him! He…" He stopped abruptly when he noticed the students, but it was already too late. He had just provided more fodder for the gossip mill.

Dumbledore let out a frustrated sigh.

* * *

Just as the old headmaster feared, gossips spread like wild fire as soon as the students stepped out of his sight. The first years followed the prefects heading to their common room, but they probably didn't remember the way because they were all deep in conversation.

"He must be kidnapped." Ernie breathed, wide-eyed. "Someone waited for him in the dark, and as soon as we've turned our backs, they ambushed him and took him away!"

"It could be." Hannah agreed. "Not everyone wants him back."

"He nearly got crushed simply because he showed his face. " Harry suggested. "May be he was scared away. If I were him, I would go straight back home."

Ernie stared at him. "He is the boy who lived. He won't be scared just because of a bunch of friendly people."

"Might be he fall into the lake then?" Harry suggested innocently.

"He is THE Harry Potter for god's sake!" Ernie rolled his eyes at his stupidity.

"It doesn't mean that he know how to swim." Harry pointed out.

"I still don't understand," Justin said. "If he is so important, why didn't he get a bodyguard? Or ask for a cop?"

"We don't have cops, we call them Aurors." Susan corrected him. "And Aurors can't help unless an order is issued or Harry Potter asks for it. It's against the regulations."

When the prefects called for their attention, they were already one level downstairs and standing in front of a large still life painting at the end of a corridor.

"Behind this, you will find the domain of Hufflepuff house. To enter, tap on it three times, and speak the password of the week. Like this." The boy prefect Marus Stebbins knocked on the golden frame three times. "Torchwood!"

The painting slid aside smoothly, revealing a tunnel mouth. The tunnel was short and well lit by torches, leading them into a warm and homey common room, which was decorated in yellow and black. Marus sent them off to their dorm immediately.

After a full day of excitement, the boys said their goodnights and settled into their four-poster beds in no time. Harry drew the curtains closed, and sank into the bed with a sigh.

[So, are you going to eavesdrop on them?] He asked as he hugged the blanket tight around him.

[No, even if I know where his office is, it would be too far out of my reach. Besides, I think we have pushed the limit enough for one day.] Daniel said. They discovered that the farther and longer they were apart, the more tiring it was for Harry to maintain the overstretched connection. Considering they had been half the train apart since this morning, Daniel didn't want to risk exhausting him further. [Sleep now. Classes start at eight, so tomorrow.]

[I bet the old man is beating Dursleys' door down.] Harry yawned and rolled over, his nose buried into the fat pillow. [Do you think he will find out the truth?]

[Oh, no doubt he will draw his own conclusion, we've left him enough cues after all.] Daniel smirked. [God knows how far it will be from the truth. He probably will go on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas.]

[Goose is good.] Harry murmured just before he fell asleep. [Goose is tasty.]

Daniel chuckled softly and let the boy sleep.

* * *

AN: Real life is hell, the next chapter might come a bit later.


	11. Y1: The Mayhem

Title: "One Plus One Equals One "

Rating: PG-13 for now, may go up to R later. Genfic.

Disclaimer: Honestly, I own nothing. Don't sue.

Summary: Daniel descended as a 11 years old Harry Potter…well, sort of.

Inspirited by Corwalch's "Two Shall Be As One", diverged as Daniel went back a bit further.

* * *

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by novacarta_

Y1: The Mayhem

Sending Dudley to sleep with a pill of painkiller, Vernon and Petunia Dursley finally settled into a well-deserved peaceful night after a long, stressful and tiring day. They had to rush their son Dudley to London for a surgery to remove the freaky pigtail from his bottom, and drove him to Smeltings School for the opening ceremony. They were 3 hours late and missed the opening ceremony, student registration and most part of the orientation. It was a pity to miss the opportunity showing his lovingly family to other parents, but Vernon managed to encourage the headmaster with a stack of cash to take good care of their precious son. He had a pretty well paid important job, an obedient and considerate wife, and a son growing up into a fine young fellow. Vernon Dursley was a contented man.

Until someone pounded on his door fiercely

Vernon bound down the stairs to the front door, and barked angrily as he swung it open. "Haven't you ever heard of a door bell? I installed it for a reason!" A glance at the visitors was enough to make his temper boiled further. An old geezer, a hag, and a greasy bat! How dare these people came and stained his house with their freakiness! "Leave now! Or I will call the police!"

"Now Mr. Dursley, such hostility is entirely unnecessary. I'm merely hoping for a civilized conversation regarding the child in your care."

Vernon recognized the old man of course. Dumberdoor, Bumblebee, or something. The old goat showed up from time to time to clean up after the abnormal boy, nagged at him for his treatment to the brat, and refused to take the boy back to their godforsaken world.

"The freak ran away a month ago!" Vernon snarled. "And if he dare show his face, I swear to God I will beat him to a bloody pulp for stealing my hard-earned money!"

"Surely you don't mean that…" The woman stared at him in astonishment. "Don't you care what's become of him?"

"I hope he's rotting in Hell! As long as you pay his funeral bill I don't care a bit!" Vernon barked out a cruel laugh and banged the door shut in their faces.

"Mr. Dursley, I must insist! I need to talk to your wife!" Dumbledore urged, frowning in impatience.

After a brief silence, the door was opened again. Petunia stood there stiffly, glaring at Dumbledore with wariness and anger,

"Petunia, thank you for meeting me. Might I…"

"Save your breath!" Petunia cut him off with a hiss. "As my husband told you, the boy left the day after he met your people, and the ungrateful brat stole fifty pounds from my drawer. We haven't heard from him since then."

"Have you notified the authority?" McGonagall asked.

"Of course not! We don't want to get dragged into your mess!" Petunia retorted coldly. "Now leave us alone! Your kind isn't welcome here!" She slammed the door shut with a note of finality.

"I told you!" McGonagall turned to Dumbledore angrily. "I told you they were the worst kind of muggles!"

"Not now, Professor. Please." Dumbledore sighed tiredly. "Severus, I need you to remain behind and search the house for cues under the cover of night. Meet us back in my office when you are done. I will see if Arabella knew anything." He exchanged a nod with the potion master and headed back to the house of one Arabella Figg, McGonagall had to jog after him to catch up his haste pace.

Mrs. Figg was waiting for them at the doorway as they reached the small house. "Can you now tell me what happened?" She crossed her arms, clearly irritated at them storming in and out without a proper explanation.

"Harry is missing, and no one know where he is. Arabella, did you notice Harry's absence during the last few weeks?" Dumbledore demanded. There was a note of accusation in his voice.

"Petunia told me she sent the boy to a summer camp, which I noted as "fishy" in my report." Mrs. Figg shot back. "The same report that I submitted to you two weeks ago! Shouldn't you have read it already?" She give him a long-suffering look as she headed back to the living room, apparently it was not the first time the headmaster ignored her reports. Sometimes she wondered why she bothered to put in so many details in her reports when Dumbledore obviously had no intention to interfere what happened in the No.4 Privet Drive.

"He is only eleven years old. Where could've he been for a whole month?" McGonagall sounded horrified.

"He needed money to live by himself." Dumbledore mused aloud. "Gringotts! He's got to visit there to make a withdraw." He headed for the fireplace, grabbed a handful of floo powder and threw it in. A greenish flame burst up. "Leaky Cauldron!" He stepped in and vanished.

McGonagall barely had time to say goodnight to Mrs. Figg before she too flooed to the Leading Cauldron. It was a slow night and the bar only had a few customers. Tom the bartender noticed her right away and greeted her with a toothless grin. "He's just passed through here." Tom told her. "Seem like he's in a hurry."

She thanked him and hurried into Diagon Alley. With the shops closed, the alley was mostly deserted, but the bank should still be open for another hour. When she ran into the bank, ignoring the disapproving glare from the goblin guard in the front door, she was shocked to find the headmaster having a heated argument with a goblin clerk.

"It is against our regulations to disclose any information regarding our customers!" the goblin clerk sneered. "Chief Warlock or not, you are not listed as the owner of vault 687, thus you have no authority over that vault and no say to goblin business, Wizard!"

"The vault owner is one of my students and he has been missing for a month. I need your information to deduce his whereabouts." Dumbledore clearly was getting more and more frustrated.

"Goblins do not deal with missing wizards." The goblin clerk snorted, "Go harass your aurors."

'_At least it gave a good advice.'_ McGonagall thought dryly. She suggested the same once Hagrid confirmed that he failed to locate the missing Potter in the neighborhood, however Dumbledore rejected the idea straightaway and ordered to block outbound owls until next day. Not that Dumbledore had done anything wrong, as the law stated that a person only counted as "missing" when he or she disappeared for at least 24 hours.

"Could you at least tell me when did Harry Potter last visit your bank?" Dumbledore rubbed his temple to nurse his headache. "As the information has nothing to do with his vault, I believe it won't violate your regulation."

The goblin narrowed his eyes at him and said slowly. "Rules and regulations. We will abide by the treaty when and only if an official request is issued by the Ministry."

"Headmaster." McGonagall turned to Dumbledore. "Might be it's time to ask for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"

Albus Dumbledore didn't look pleased at all.

* * *

Whatever had tripped his alarm was gone before Daniel came out from the mindscape to the boy dorm. He scanned around warily. The fireplace at the far end of the room was burning slowly, covering everything with a golden glow and wavering shadow. Heavy curtains were drawn around those four-poster beds, but he could hear the boys snorting slightly and fast asleep. Everything seemed to be in order, yet something was nagging him.

Something was not right. He could almost smell the uneasiness in the cold air.

He gave his connection with Harry a quick check. The boy was still suffering tiredness from metal strain, but had recovered enough for Daniel to poke around a little bit. Daniel let himself float with the almost stagnant air and spreading out his sensation. An abrupt disturbance on the main staircase immediately got his attention. He rose, quickly and purposefully, up to the ceiling and through the heavy stones.

That's what disturbed his protection alarm, Daniel realized, and he also understood why as soon as he landed his eyes on the approaching figure. The man ran down the main staircase to the entrance hall and was heading toward the front door, his head bobbing funny as if the purple turban was too heavy for him to run steadily.

What's his name again? Daniel thought hard for a while. Ah yes, Professor Quirrell. Hagrid introduced the stammering man to Harry when they met in the Leaking Cauldron, but the man in front of him was very different from the man in Harry's memory. There was a familiar sense of wrongness radiated from him, or to be precise, from underneath the purple turban.

It prompted Daniel to act against him.

Quirrell tripped over something and fell flat on his face. A round shaped item rolled out from his palm, shining blood red under the candle light. Quirrell got back on his feet quickly and bent over to pick it up. However, before his finger could close around it, it vanished in thin air without a sound.

"Master, the stone's just disappear!" Quirrell cried.

"Damn! Dumbledore must have bind it with the castle!"

Daniel was startled when a muffed voice in the turban swore aloud, but it also confirmed his suspicion of a spiritual possession, especially as he recalled the same evil feeling he'd got during his confrontation with the wraith inside the mindscape.

"Quirrell, return to your room now." The voice proceeded to order his host around. "You need to figure out what spell he used and…AAAHHHH!" The voice and Quirrell let out a shrill scream at the same time, wrenching and lurching painfully on the floor.

Daniel frowned, released his grasp on the wraith reluctantly. This wraith had a much tighter hold of its host than the one he destroyed, and it obviously possessed a certain level of intelligence. Forcing it out of the man would also mean tearing the host in half, as the wraith had more or less super-glued itself to the man. He probably needed an exorcist or might be some holy water to get rid of it without killing the host.

"Ma…master?" Quirrell whispered shakily.

"Back to your room, NOW!" the voice barked.

Qurriell was at the top of the staircases when the front door opened with a loud bang. Dumbledore rushed in with a panic look on his face, but the expression turned blank once he saw the back of the fleeing man. The old man he drew his wand out to fling curses after curses to the man with agility beyond his old age. The fight only lasted a few second, as Quirrell slipped away before Dumbledore could catch him.

Daniel looked down at the "stone" in his palm, and a sudden inspiration hit him. He duplicated the stone and sent the copy to the top of the staircases, just in time for the Headmaster to recover it under the rubbles and blasted stairsteps.

_'What was this fuss about a gou'ald control crystal anyway?'_ Daniel wondered.

Wizarding world seemed to be more complex than he originally thought.

* * *


	12. Y1: School Life

Title: "One Plus One Equals One "  
Rating: PG-13 for now, may go up to R later. Genfic.  
Disclaimer: Honestly, I own nothing. Don't sue.  
Summary: Daniel descended as a 11 years old Harry Potter…well, sort of.  
Inspirited by Corwalch's "Two Shall Be As One", diverged as Daniel went back a bit further.

_**One**_** Plus **_**One Equals One**_

_by nova-carta_

**Y1: School Life**

"The man was half hidden behind the railing, and he moved so fast that I only saw him for a few seconds. Fortunately, I returned just in time to secure the stone from his clutch." Dumbledore put down the scarlet stone on the desk, allowing the teachers to have a good look at the item they had worked so hard to protect.

He had already checked the stone over, and much to his dismay, found it completely intact. It seemed the hardness of the artificial stone had exceeded his expectation, which posed an unexpected halt to his laid out plan. He was hoping to use the stealth thief as an excuse to destroy the stone, because smashing the stone into pieces was preferable to leaving it in wrong hands. Yet, the stone couldn't be destroyed by fire or physical impact, and it was a magical artifact with power too great that he didn't dare to curse it with destructive spells and risk a massive explosion. Nicolas had yet volunteered the proper method to destroy the stone, which meant instead of pretending to protect it, he now had to put actual effort in securing the stone from the lurking thief.

"Have you found out how the thief managed to intrude and pass the traps?" McGonagall turned to Professor Fliwitch, who was the first teacher arrived on the scene.

"Isn't it obvious?" Snape interrupted with a snort. "Our so-called security was a joke. Even a first year could get pass them."

"The thief did pass them embarrassingly easily." Fliwitch admitted. "He lured the cerberus out of his way with a little bunny, burned the devil's snare severely with a fire, burst apart the unprotected wall in the keys chamber, shrunk the pieces on my chess board to normal size, knocked out the troll and solved the logic puzzle. I don't know what have you set up as the final trap, but the last room was empty when I checked it. The thief used the bare effort to pass the traps in the fastest and most efficient way. It probably only took him ten minutes to reach the stone."

"Might be it is safer to keep the stone with you." Professor Sprout turned to the Headmaster. "No one will dare to attack you or steal from you."

"Oh, I am flattered, Professor Sprout." Dumbledore chuckled slightly. "However, I'm afraid my age won't allow me to guard the stone with all my attention constantly without tiring me out. Anyway, tonight's incident has confirmed that someone is indeed going after the stone. We will replace the traps with something more lethal, until then, I will keep it on my person for safekeeping. Please present me your ideas by the end of this week. Hopefully the new security will protect the stone until the Flamels and I could agree on the disposal."

All four heads of house nodded in agreement.

"Should I inform Hagrid and Professor Quirrell about the arrangement?" McGonagall asked.

Dumbledore thought for a moment, shook his head and spoke slowly. "I would prefer this incident remained among ourselves. I could trust Hagrid with my life, but this is too big a secret to burden him. As for Quirrell…"

"He has changed too much in only a year, and I'm not convinced of his vampire hunting story!" Snape said.

"We should not accuse anyone without evidence." McGonagall argued.

"He stutters." Snape grumbled. "And he smells."

McGonagall sent him a disapproving glare.

"I must insist you to keep your suspicion to yourself. After all, one must be presumed innocent until proven guilty." Dumbledore said calmly. "However, I won't object if you wish to keep an eye on him either." It went without saying that he too suspected Quirrell of those strange behaviors.

"What about Harry Potter?" Professor Sprout asked. "Did you found anything?"

"Severus?" Dumbledore turned to the man.

"Nothing useful or conclusive in No. 4 Privet Drive, I'm afraid." Snape sent him a meaningful glance. "Aside from a few protection wards around the house, the house is no difference from other ordinary muggle households. Potter has been away from the house too long to have any significant magical trail remained."

"Alas, the wards worked perfectly to keep dangers from the boy…" Dumbleoder sighed.

"Sadly, your pathetic wards failed to keep the boy inside the safety." Snape snorted mockingly.

Dumbledore smiled tolerantly at him. Judging by the dirty looks, the man must have discovered the barely legal blood ward around the house, and made haste to remove the ward before the aurors arrived. The task was tiring and time consuming, no wonder Snape looked so grumpy when he returned.

"Then what should we do? His disappearance is bound to be the front-page news. There are hundreds of letters being on hold already! We can't keep the owl block up any longer without arousing suspicion." Professor Sprout exclaimed.

"You might release the owl block after this meeting, Pomona, and thank you for your hard work." Dumbledore gave her a thankful smile as he explained. "I have informed the Law Enforcement Department an hour ago, and an investigation order has been issued to start investigation immediately. According to the information from Gringotts. Mr. Potter visited the bank again on 2 August and withdrew all his money in form of traveller's cheques. The aurors deduced that he was planning to go aboard, though there is no record in Portkey office or Floo logbook indicating his departure from the country."

"But it makes no sense. If he had no intention to attend the school, he wouldn't board the Hogwart Express at all!" Fliwitch pointed out.

"That's why we did not rule out the possibility of kidnapping or abduction. For now we could only wait and hope for the best." Dumbledore said. "The night is getting late, my dear professors. We should retire to our rooms and prepare for the classes tomorrow."

The professors moaned at the reminder of the end of their peaceful summer holiday and endless schoolwork waiting for them. All facts considered, the teachers and students were surprisingly alike in this aspect, though none of them would ever willingly admit it.

********

As an ascended being, he shouldn't need to sleep, nor that he should crave for coffee every morning. Yet he was here, gulping down freshly blew coffee as if it was water, couldn't care less about his tongue being burned by the steaming liquor. He wondered if the caffeine could somehow affect the energy structure and its stability of an ascended being to have the same stimulating effects on them. Not that he understood very much of the scientific aspects, especially after he got kicked out of the ascended library of collective knowledge, but the idea was interesting enough for an respected interplanetary explorer, aka himself, to conduct in-depth study and experiment on.

Daniel chugged down another cup with a dreamy sigh.

Sumatra Mandheling. One cream, two sugars.

Perfect.

"How come you can drink coffee like a fish but cut down on my cocoa?" Harry complained loudly as he walked down the spiral stairs.

As soon as he stepped inside, the entrance closed behind him to conceal itself from the outside world. The enclosed area was as large as a hotel royal suite, and the goblins had surpassed all expectations in the luxury decoration. Harry had aptly named it "Daniel's Den", or "the Den" for short, since it was where Daniel spent most of his nights.

Only when he spoke up Daniel had noticed his arrival. "Huh?" Daniel blinked at him.

"Cocoa!" Harry pouted as he sat down at the table.

"Now, little urchin, your teachers and fellow students have done nothing to deserve a sugar high kid thrust on them, have they?" Daniel ruffled his hair affectionately. "Besides, you need more than cocoa to grow bigger."

Harry huffed petulantly. "'Meet me in the Den ASAP'?" He waved a note at the man, repeated it word for word. "So?"

"So," Daniel sat straight up in his chair to start his tale. "Something happened last night." He then told Harry about Quirrell, the mysterious voice inside the purple turban, the possibility of a spiritual possession, and last but not least, the gou'ald control crystal.

"You conned the headmaster!" Harry beamed from ear to ear.

"Yup." Daniel too felt proud of himself, grinning widely. "I only hope he doesn't get any gou'ald device too."

"Well, it doesn't really matter, isn't it?" Harry tilted his head at the crystal sitting by the coffee pot. "I mean, even if Dumbledore has an alien device, without this crystal it would be useless."

Daniel had to admit the boy was right. The control crystal was large enough to be a significant part of a gou'ald device, which meant its missing would guarantee the failure in activating said device, if such device indeed existed.

He would just sit tight and let things unfold in their own time.

********

It was half past seven when two Hufflepuff prefects shepherded the first years to the Great Hall for breakfast. Although Harry had escaped from the Dursleys for a whole month, he was still suffering a shrunk stomach after years of underfeeding. A few bites of toast and bacon and he was uncomfortably full until lunchtime.

[You should eat more.] Daniel urged him. [Don't pretend you didn't notice that you are the smallest kid in the school.]

[I just haven't hit my growth spurt yet.] Harry huffed sulkily, gaining strange glances from his fellow housemates.

The sound of flapping wings and screeching hoots made them looked up to the ceiling. Hundreds of owls flew into the Hall, dropping letters and packages to their owners. A big owl landed in front of Ernie, a newspaper held in its beak.

"Here, five Knuts." Ernie put the bronze coins in the pouch tied on its leg before he took the newspaper. "Oh! Harry Potter made the front page!" He then spread it out on the table for everyone to lean over and read it.

_**Harry Potter Goes Missing!**_

**_While people were still discussing and celebrating the return of our famous Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived has mysteriously disappeared from Hogsmeade Station where he has been last seen. This distressful news was revealed when Headmaster of Hogwarts School Albus Dumbledore personally filed a missing person report to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement last night._**

**_According to the headmaster, Mr. Potter boarded Hogwarts Express at Platform Nine and Three-quarter and arrived its destination safely, however the boy failed to show up in the sorting ceremony. Further investigation indicated that he had not stepped into the school area._**

**_  
Inquiries among villagers in Hogsmeade have also drawn a blank, said the head investigator Gawain Robards in the press conference. The Aurors were eager to locate Mr. Potter and have appealed to anybody who may have seen him or know of his current whereabouts. _**

**_Could the boy who lived leave by his own free will? Or if the boy was abducted by his enemies who only wish him harms? When the reporter asked about the safety of the missing Potter, Auror Robards admitted the possibility of kidnapping could not been ruled out, but he refused to comment further._**

**_Harry Potter was last spotted at the train station in Hogsmeade Village at about 1815 BST yesterday. He was around 4ft 9in (1.45m), slim, short black messy hair, round eyeglasses, green eyes and a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. He was wearing a black school robe and blue muggle trainers at the time he was last seen. Anyone with information please floo or owl the investigation team at the Ministry of Magic._**

**_Daily Prophet would like to express our worry and blessing to our missing Harry Potter, and hope that he will rejoin our community soon._**

There was a large photo underneath the article, showing the hilarious scene on Platform 9 3/4 repeatedly. Luckily the photo seemed to be shot from afar, thus it only got a brief and unclear glimpse of "Harry Potter" when the train conductor pulled him out of the crowd.

[Rumors are more interesting than the actual news.] Daniel snickered, listening to the latest ridiculous rumors around the table. Obviously the Lady of the Lake fell in love with Harry Potter at first sight and lured him into the Great Lake to have her wicked way with him.

[Ewww!] Harry grimaced at the disgusting suggestion. Daniel laughed harder.

The fifth year boy prefect Marus Stebbins approached them with a stack of parchment in hand. Stebbins was assigned to take care of the first years, and so far he had done an excellent job.

"Timetable." Stebbins handed out the parchments and explained. "It is set for the whole school year, but the time of your flying class will be posted on the notice board."

"Potions on your first day, and the first thing in the morning no less." Cedric Diggory leaned on Harry's shoulder to peek at his timetable, shaking his head in mock sympathy. "I tell you. You guys are doomed."

Stebbins smacked him upside the head. "Stop terrifying the first years! Professor Snape is the Head of Slytherin House, naturally he will favor his house members. He might not be the nicest person, but as long as you are not in Gryffindor, he is all bark and no bite."

Cedric snorted loudly.

Stebbins ignored him. "Just remember. Don't protest when he docks house points for no reason."

"We don't care about house points anyway." Cedric explained.

"NEVER ask question in class." Stebbins said firmly. "He will only dock points."

"NEVER ask question after class." Cedric added. "He will dock even more points for asking foolish questions."

"Get teary-eyed if he's gone too far." Stebbins suggested to the girls.

"Don't actually cry in his presence." Cedric warned them. "He hates sobbing kids."

"Be grateful that you have Potions with Ravenclaw. Gryffindors have double potions with Slytherins on Friday mornings. " Stebbins concluded with a comforting smile, which sadly only unsettled them further. "Honestly, I know some of the professors seem a bit weird, but they are generally good and normal people."

The first years turned to the high table at the same time, just in time to see Quirrell staggering in the Great Hall, extremely pale like a chalk, swaying as if the purple turban on his head was too heavy to walk a straight line, and shrieked in terror when he realized the only vacant seat was the one next to Professor Snape.

So much for normality.

"What's that smell?" Justin sniffed the air, clearly disgusted.

"Garlic, I think." Harry wrinkled his nose, watching Quirrell carefully. Despite what Daniel told him, he still couldn't believe the stuttering professor was the one who tried to steal the control crystal right from under Dumbledore's nose and almost succeeded.

[Appearances can be deceiving.] Daniel shrugged. [Admittedly, I wouldn't suspect him either if I haven't caught him red-handed.]

[What are we going to do with him?] Harry asked. [Especially as you can't get rid of the wraith without killing Quirrell.]

[Well, your grandfather have done some research on soul magic. Hopefully I will figure something out from his notes. If we know find out how Quirrell got possessed, we might know how that wraith got into your head too.] Daniel said. He had been studying those research notes since he confronted the wraith in their mindscape, though so far his progress was painfully slow. Without enough background knowledge about advanced magic, he spent most of his time struggling with the abstruse theories and intricate concepts.

[Until then you'd better stay away from him. The wraith is much stronger then that one in you, I don't want to cross his path and risk another possession.]

Harry agreed without complaint. He didn't want to be anywhere close to the garlicky man anyway.

********

Potions class turned out to be as dreadful as the Potion professor looked. After a roll call and an intimidating speech about the fascination in potion making, Snape paired them up to make a boils-curing potion, which should be simple enough to encourage the beginners to enjoy the subject. Regrettably the lesson was doomed to failure when Snape decided breathing down the back of their necks and berating even the minimal mistake were the best ways to teach a subject that required precision, patience and undivided attention.

Forty-five minutes in class, a Ravenclaw pair in the front was distracted by the barking Potion Master and accidentally put the ingredients in wrong order. Harry had to duck under the table to escape the explosion. Terry Boot, the Ravenclaw partnered with him, was not as quick in response and got knocked out by a flying cauldron. Needless to say Snape was terrifyingly furious. He growled and howled and yelled until the Headmaster came to rescue.

[I most certainly will be better off studying potions on my own.] Ears still ringing from the deafening shouts, Harry grumbled as he and his classmates fled from the dungeon.

[Consider it done.] Daniel added the subject to their self-study plan without second thought. [I hope other teachers are not as bad. But after Potions, everything else would be a piece of cake by comparison.]

There was no truer word said.

Transfiguration started off in an excitement where Professor McGonagall morphed herself into a tabby cat, but the lecture afterward was disappointingly lengthy and dry. They were told to turn a match into a needle in the practical session. Harry kept overpowering the spell that burned a dozen of matches to ashes until he finally had a better grasp of his magic, which for some reason suddenly grew stronger since after the wraith in his head was gone, while Daniel kept tapping into his ascended power that burned another dozen of matches to ashes until he got used to accessing the magic core inside Harry's body instead. They managed to finish the assigned task, but not before they had single-handedly depleted the storage of matches, much to the dismay of Professor McGonagall.

Charms on the other hand went smoothly. Professor Flitwick taught them a color-changing spell, and had them changing each other's robes into different colors. All students got it right by the end of class, but Harry's robe noticeably stayed pink for the longest.

DADA classroom stank of garlic, and the professor stammered nonstop. Harry and Daniel grabbed a seat from the very back row, kept a half an eye on Quirrell, and the other half on the schoolbook. They figured it would be easier to read the book than decode the terrible stutter.

History of Magic was extremely boring. Professor Binns merely read out from the schoolbook, his monotonous voice droned on and on until everyone in the classroom was sound asleep.

Astronomy would be interesting if the weather was not so cold. The class took place in the middle of every Wednesday night on the top of the astronomy tower. Too chilly, too windy and the students were too sleepy to pay much attention to the professor.

They also had Herbology three times a week in a greenhouse outside the castle. Professor Sprouts was one of the handful competent teachers, however Harry had done too many gardening works for the Dursley to enjoy the class. Luckily Neville didn't mind taking over the larger part of work when they paired up.

The week was one of the busiest Harry could remember, but classes and homework aside, without backbreaking chores to fill his time Harry still had a lot of free time at his disposal. Only then he realized how boring a boarding school could be.

********

Friday finally arrived. By tradition every first year had the afternoon free of class. That's why Harry and the rest of Hufflepuff first years were enjoying a picnic and basking in the afternoon sun on the lakeside lawn celebrating their survival from classes.

Harry looked up from his copy of The Lord of The Rings when Neville and Dean slumped down on the grass next to him.

"I didn't see you in lunch. Come to think of it, I didn't see any one in your year at the Gryffindor table! Where have you been? What happened?" Harry took in their gloomy expression, asked.

"Double Potions, Slytherins, fifty points and detention." Dean said glumly.

"Oh." Hufflepuffs chorused, understood immediately. Everyone knew that Potions was a nightmare to those who wasn't Slytherin, and a hell to those who was Gryffindor.

Harry gave them each a chocolate frog as a gesture of sympathy. "Come on, spill it."

"Ron was paired up with Malfoy, and they got into a fight when the potion was still boiling. They knocked over a few cauldrons, spilling the potion all over the place." Dean pulled a face. "Snape made us clean up the classroom by hand, so we missed lunchtime and only finished just now."

"Malfoy had to visit in the infirmary. He can't even walk properly." Neville explained. "You know, boils down there." He gestured his thighs vaguely.

All boys within hearing range shuddered in fear.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" Dean asked.

Harry shrugged, ducking his head back behind his book. "You know. Chess, exploding snap…"

"Wizarding school is so boring!" Dean complained. "Can we at least have some action?"

"It's not as if we can play Quidditch." Ernie replied. "We don't even have brooms. The broomshed is locked until after our flying class."

"We can always play tag or Hide and Seek…" Harry suggested helpfully, but he trailed off when he saw the pained look Dean threw at him.

"Football, might be?" Dean asked in a hopeful voice.

"You've got one here?" Justin raised a questioningly eyebrow.

"No, but I am thinking about transfiguring it." Dean said.

"Isn't it quicker to ask your family owl you a new one?" Harry said.

"What is a football?" Ernie interjected.

"A muggle sport. The players chase after the ball and kick it to the goal." Justin offered the simplest explanation offhandedly, making the sport sounded dumb and boring.

"Now that's outrageous!" Dean felt insulted, scowling. "Football is much more than that!" In defence of his favorite sport, he went on eloquently with detailed and accurate description of West Ham, which in turn led to a heated debate between the football fan and the other Quidditch supporters.

Harry returned to the book, letting the chatter wash over him. He continued reading for a while until he saw someone approaching out of the corner of his eye, and then Draco Malfoy was blocking the sunlight from in front of him.

"Peverell." Draco said coldly.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Malfoy." At Daniel's prompt, Harry closed the book and stood up slowly, greeting the blond with a mask of social politeness.

"It looks like owls have a hard time to locate you." Draco stated flatly.

"Owls tend to do them." Harry admitted, offering no explanation.

Draco Malfoy frowned at him for a moment before he held out an envelope. "My father would like to extend an invitation for you to attend his birthday party. We expect your answer in a few days."

"Thank you." Harry took the envelope with a nod of his head, and watched the boy walk off with his nose in the air like an arrogant peacock. Only after Malfoy was far away from the lawn then the others plied him with questions after questions and talked at the same time.

"How many times must I tell you? I don't have a clue." Harry whined and sat back down on the grass. He had to push a few heads out of his way to have a better look at the envelope. "Now stop bugging me and let me read it!"

He opened the wax-sealed envelope and pulled out an ivory parchment card. The invitation was short and simple, beautifully inscribed in elegant handwriting and green ink.

_You are cordially invited to_

_an evening of dinner and dancing_

_to celebrate the 34th birthday of_

_**Lucius Malfoy**_

_Monday, the Thirtieth Day of September_

_Nineteen Ninety One_

_Seven o'clock in the evening_

_Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England_

_The courtesy of a response is requested by September 10._

[An evening of dinner and dancing?] Harry grimaced. [With Malfoy? Why would I want to dance with the snob?]

[Well, they probably would rather introduce you a nice pureblood witch than let you dance with Draco…] Daniel assured him, snickering.

[Might be we should turn it down.] Harry wrinkled his nose at the irritated _scent_of violets coming from the envelope and pulled a disgusted face. Everything about Malfoy from attitude to hairstyle was too stuck-up for his liking.

[The party is on a school day. I don't think they really expect you to attend. Malfoy must have heard of our muggle upbringing by now, so the invitation is most likely just to test the water, to see what could be expected from the Peverell heir.] Daniel explained. When they decided to take the Peverell name, Lord Ragnok had warned of its significance in the wizarding world. Obviously the Peverell family was one of the founder members of the Wizards' Council, and the patriarch had been granted a permanent seat in the Wizengamot when the Council replaced by the Ministry of Magic. Lucius Malfoy was one of the wealthiest and insightful political creatures at the present time, Daniel would be very surprised if the man didn't try to seek influence and control over the wide-eyed innocent Peverell heir.

[So?]

[I will write him a reply to politely decline the invitation and wish Mr. Malfoy a happy birthday.] Daniel said in a matter of fact one. [But we might have just become the hot topic of the gossip mill.] He warned.

Secrets didn't stay in Hufflepuff.

Harry suddenly was aware of the curious looks his housemates throwing at him and swallowed hard.

********

AN: Real Life sucks. Irregular updates will be continued for a while.


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